In The Pew

Without warning and unprepared, Roy and Regina Mayers became the parents of five little girls under the age of fifteen. A father and mother taken too soon from their children by a senseless car accident leaves a family torn apart. Oil slick streets and the recklessness of a drunk driver leaves frightened and disillusioned children to face a difficult reality. Except for their Uncle Roy and Aunt Regina, they are alone in the world. Too young to grasp the severity of the situation, they will need to work through countless unresolved issues. Lydia, the oldest of her siblings felt an obligation to them. It began with a promise she’d made to their mother. Now, it seemed that promise extended to her sisters.

For a short while their lives appeared calm, but beneath the surface a storm brewed. As the family’s dynamics changed, those internal and external forces began creating an undercurrent.  With such a colossal task of dealing with their pain thrust upon them, the girls didn’t shoulder the guilt of losing their parents well. Life wasn’t easy for any of them. Could they manage alone? No way. It wasn’t possible. Fortunately, their Uncle and Aunt saw the gaping hole this tragedy created and wisely sought a way to help them heal.

It wasn’t a perfect family, but it worked. Their Uncle and Aunt gave them the best life possible. Lydia and her sisters, Keisha, Danielle, Patsy and Pauline, were the product of their parents and were gradually becoming the embodiment of their newly acquired family. Most of them escaped those teenage years unscathed. Unfortunately, Pauline one of the younger sisters carried some extra baggage that none of them knew existed. It took much more effort for her recovery. Her struggle with drug and alcohol abuse brought the world around her crashing down on the entire family. It wasn’t just about Pauline anymore. Every member of the Mayers household were responsible for supporting each other in those dark hours. With prayer, a watchful eye and a dogged determination from those who loved her, Pauline survived. In time and with the aid of a therapist, eventually each of the girls learned to navigate the treacherous waters ahead. 

The Mayers didn’t allow outsiders in and they didn’t venture outside of their family circle for help. Their Uncle and Aunt believed in self-containment. They handled all conflict that disrupted their lives. None of them knew for sure, except Lydia and perhaps Patsy what went on behind the closed doors in the Mayers household. Their Uncle Roy’s principalship and their upper society living didn’t line up. Where was the money coming from? None of them dared to ask or perhaps they were simply too young to care. Their Aunt Regina was loving, but it was prudent not to get in the way of her plans for her family. Loving, yes, but forgiving, no way. Family meant everything to her.

Death and poor health forced Lydia’s predecessors, her Uncle’s Roy, Edmond and friend Jackson to look within the ranks for a new leader. It was time for a new generation to rise and carry on the family tradition. Unclear what that was, Lydia was stunned when she was chosen to lead her family and even more surprised to discover what her duties entailed. Why her? She wondered. She had taken an oath to do no harm. Was she capable of doing whatever it took for the sake of family?