Part 3 – Helena Hendricks

  Chapter Twenty-one – Helena.

  The outer door creaked. He entered.

  She was in the Kitchen doorway. It had been several years since he’d been this close to her. She seemed smaller. She seemed weaker. Her dress was out of the distant past. It had been out of style for over a hundred years. Once her fiery red hair flowed as she moved. Today, it was tied at the back of her head in a bun. It was dull with white streaks. Even her clothes reflected her prison. Once bright, she was dim. Once free, she was bound. She stood before him, determined to serve her penance. Despite all this, her back was straight. She was both proud and broken.

  “I was told you were dead.” She spoke.

  “Brent told me, but I’m not.” Frank replied.

  Her voice trembled as she said, “I can see that. I heard there was trouble. I thought it might be you. Have you come to kill me? I could understand if you did. God knows I felt like dying for a long time now. Maybe, it would be a fitting end.” Tears came to her eyes. She turned away.

  Frank started speaking, “Mrs. Hendricks?”

  Through tears she said, “It's not Hendricks. It's Murphy.”

  Frank smiled weakly as he replied, “No, it's not. It hasn't been since Eden died. You stay here to find your way to redemption. Atonement. And life. That's the woman I came to talk with. I didn't come to talk to Mrs. Murphy. I'm here to talk to Mrs. Hendricks. I didn't come here to kill you or destroy you. I came here to get you to help yourself.”

  In a flash, her anxiety was replaced with anger. She asked, “Why Hendricks? Why that particular name? There are millions of names. Why did you pick that name?” She knew the answer to that question.

  Frank chastised the woman, “You know the answer to that question as well as I do. But I'm going to give you an answer anyway. I didn't pick that name. It’s your maiden name. It was the name Eden chose to carry as her surname before we married. She rejected Kilgore and Murphy. Not only did she reject their names. She rejected them, and she rejected everything they were. She was everything they weren't. She disliked some of the things you've done. But she never rejected you. She had faith in you. Not only did she believe you could do better. She believed you could be better.”

  Mrs. Hendricks shuddered. She shook as tears flowed from her eyes. “I'm so sorry about what happened to...”

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  Sternly, Frank said. “I'm not here to talk about her death. I relive that enough already. I'm here to talk about your life. We're going to sit down, and I'm going to tell you all about it. I believe there are some things you really need to know.”

  Meekly, she replied, “You may be right. But that doesn't tell me why you're here. It doesn't say why you chose to come. You could have left an old woman to herself. You still can. I always felt you did things for a reason. I don't see any reason you have to help me.”

  Frank said, “She wanted you to have the chance to do better. She wanted to be that catalyst. She hoped that she could help you find your way. She never had that opportunity. That doesn't mean you can't. That doesn't mean you get left behind. I understand that I'm not connected to you like she was, but I've come here to offer what I can. What do you say Mrs. Hendricks?”

  She paused as she considered what to do next. It took several minutes, then she said, “All right. I think I could get to like being called Hendricks again. Is Brent alright? You didn't hurt him, did you?”

  Frank stated, “He's okay. He might be a little uncomfortable. But he'll be fine. He's just sitting and chatting with a friend of mine.”

  Mrs. Hendricks’ glance conveyed her history with Mr. Murphy. Years of mistrust rose to the surface.

  Frank answered the question she didn’t ask. “I'm telling the truth. He's not hurt. He's sitting on the front steps. Go look.”

  She looked away and said, “Frank, I don't ever remember you lying to me. I feel that I need to do this with you. For her...” Deep in thought she stopped speaking.

  Frank waited.

  She inquired, “I would like Brent to come in. But I need to ask him a question before I let him.”

  Frank motion for her to go to the door. “You're not my prisoner. I'm not chasing you. I don't plan on starting to.”

  “Thank you.” She said as she straightened herself up. She walked to the door. “Brent, could you stand up? I want to look at you.”

  Frank stood behind her at the door. “It's alright Fred. Stand him up. The lady wants to have a word with him.”

  Fred returned, “Sure, but that don't mean I got to like it.” He knew this man was dangerous, and he didn't want to fight. He helped the big man up by his arm. “Nice and steady there, big guy. Nobody's going to do you any harm.”

  “Look at me, Brent.” She said, “Who do you work for?”

  Brent replied, “For you, Mrs. Murphy.”

  She repeated herself, “No, Brent. Who do you work for?”

  His eyes turned to the floor, and his expression grew dark. “I work for Mr. Murphy.”

  She inquired, “Do you want to quit Mr. Murphy, Brent?”

  He looked directly at Frank. Confused he spoke, “What do you mean? I don't understand. Have I done something wrong? If I had fought these guys, you would have gotten hurt. I've seen what they can do.”

  She interrupted him, “Brent, do you want to work for me? Do you want to quit Mr. Murphy and work for me?”

  Brent stated surer than he has ever been about anything, “Yes, ma'am. I do.”

  She said, “Good. First things first. You can start by calling me Mrs. Hendricks. And we are on the same side. We are all friends. Me, you, Frank, and his friend. Is that alright with you, Brent?”

  Brent replied, “Yes. I don't think either of these guys fight for fun. Do you think they could cut my hands free?”

  She continued, “This means you don't report back to him. You don't deliver packages for him. You don't tell him about me, or about Frank and his friends. You don't hurt anybody for him. You don't do any more little favors for him. And you don't lie to me any more Brent. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.” He smiled. “I work for Mrs. Hendricks now. I think I'm going to like this.”

  Fred cut the tie strap.