Mercy’s Promise
By: Lynn Landes
By:
Lynn Landes
Published by:
Landes Publishing
Edited by:
Shane Landes
Cover art by:
www.roseannawhitedesigns.com
This book is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, and events portrayed in this novel are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2018 by Lynn Landes
http://[email protected]/
All rights reserved.
Other titles by Lynn Landes:
Dust & Dreams
Stolen Dream's
Perilous Dreams
The Angels Covenant
Covenant Breakers
Blood Covenant
Fae Queen
Shadow King
Serenity’s Song
Arctic Moon
Chapter 1
Psalms 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Heavy footsteps vibrate the pine floor of the one-bedroom room rental in the boarding house. “Open the door, woman!” Cursing, stumbling and fumbling he pounds on the door screaming.
Anika whispers to Delaney, “Hide Angel. Don’t come out unless I call you.” Delaney runs and cowers in the corner behind the chair. Anika smooths her shirt over her swollen belly and walks to the door. “Coming Saul,” she opens the door, and the slap sends her stumbling backward into a table.
“What the hell took you so long? You gettin’ so fat with child that you can’t even walk?” He laughs at his own joke as she wipes the blood from her split lip. Anika straightens up and slowly closes the door. Saul Coltrane stands five foot eleven inches tall, just five inches taller than her, but he is all muscle. Once, her husband was good looking, but now his cheeks are sunken and yellow. His beard is as long and unkempt as his hair. The most significant change is his eyes. Any affection he once held for her is gone and replaced with a simmering hatred.
“I’m sorry, Saul,” Anika murmurs covering her pregnant belly. The baby isn’t due for another four months. “I kept your dinner warm for you.” She moves to the small woodstove in the corner and pulls a plate of food from it. After placing it on the small table, she backs away, careful to avoid eye contact.
“Good, I’m starving.” He stomps to the table and sits, stuffing down the potatoes and a piece of meat she managed to get during dinner. Food goes quickly in the boarding house. It is served promptly at seven pm, and if you aren't early, it goes fast. Anika helps prepare the meals, and they give her a discount on food.
Anika stares at him with caramel colored eyes and pushes her strawberry blonde hair back. Her face is swelling quickly, and she winces when she licks her lip. Saul wasn't always abusive. Before the war, her husband was kind and loving, but after he couldn't stay in one place very long. He was quick to anger and drank to help ease the pain. Nightmares plagued him, and the easy access to cheap whiskey became his solution. The latest move brought them to Pennsylvania, six months ago where he started working at the mill.
The first time he hit her she was shocked. With no family to turn to Anika was alone, except for their daughter, seven-year-old Delaney. After the first time, his rage seemed to grow. Everything seemed to set him off, and Anika began to wonder how long she would survive. They moved from town to town, before settling here and the church became her refuge. Drinking became his medicine to numb the pain of whatever ate at his soul. The one saving grace was that he never hit Delaney. He has a soft spot for his daughter, and Anika hopes for this child as well.
“Did you make any money today?” Saul demands not even bothering to look at her. Rising from his chair, he moves to the small table where he keeps his whiskey and pours another cup.
“Yes. I made a dollar fifty, doing laundry.” It was a reasonable sum, the men and women who board often used the laundry services. Saul grunts and glares at her.
“Well, where is it.” The bottle is drained dry as he drinks the last of it, before swaying on his feet and stumbling towards her.
“We were behind on the rent, Saul. They kept the money for this week’s payment and said if we can’t pay on time...” The blow to her face sends her sprawling on the floor. Anika grunts and tries to cover her belly.
“You, stupid, bitch,” he starts kicking at her, grunting with each word. Pain explodes in her side and stomach, she can’t catch her breath as the blows drive it from her.
“No, the baby…” Anika shouts. Her only thought is to protect herself and keep his focus on her, not Delaney. Fighting for survival now, she grabs his pant leg, causing him to stumble back into the small table and chair.
“I’ll kill you!!” He spits, stumbling to his feet.
“No, Daddy!” Delaney screams flinging herself on top of her mother. Saul steps back and stares down at them. Anika groans as she tries to sit up, but the pain in her back and stomach is ripping around her midsection.
Saul stumbles backward and trips over the chair, then kicks the table across the room. Flinging open the door, he runs from the boarding house towards Schmidt Bar and Saloon, the local drinking hall. Anika feels her water break and begins to pant hard as the first contraction hits.
“Mommy,” Delaney sobs out.
“I’m alright, Angel. I need you to be strong now. Go get Mrs. Daniels, tell her the baby is coming. I need Dr. Parker.” Delaney scrubs her face and nods.
“Yes, Mama,” she runs from the room crying and yelling for Mrs. Daniels.
The next few hours pass in a blur as the Doctor comes with his wife and her
