The primary aim of the "Novel Excerpts" blog category is to showcase my creative writing, specifically from the novels I've written. Hopefully, these posts will provide a glimpse into my storytelling style, themes, and narrative skills. It's an opportunity to share my artistic expressions and the worlds I've created through my novels.
The Boaz Secrets, written in 2018, is my third novel. I'll post a chapter a day over the next few weeks.
Book Blurb
Fifteen year-old Matt Benson moves with Robert, his widowed father, to Boaz, Alabama for one year as Robert conducts research on Southern Baptist Fundamentalism. Robert, a professor of Bible History and new Testament Theology at the University of Chicago’s Divinity School enlists Matt to assist him as an undercover agent at First Baptist Church of Christ. Matt’s job is to befriend the most active young person in the Church’s youth group and learn the heart and mind of teenagers growing up as fundamentalist Southern Baptists.
Olivia Tillman is the fourteen year old daughter of Betty and Walter Tillman. He is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Christ. Robert and Matt move to Boaz in June 1970, and before high school begins in mid-August, Matt and Olivia become fast friends. Olivia’s life is centered around her faith, her family, and her friends. She is struck with Matt and his doubts and vows to win him to Christ. Over the next year, Matt and Olivia’s relationship blossoms into more than a teenage romance, despite their different religious beliefs.
June 1971 and Matt’s return to Chicago comes too quickly, but the two teenagers vow to never lose what they have, even promising to reunite at college in three years after Olivia graduates from Boaz High School.
The Boaz Secrets is told from the perspective of past and present. The story alternates between 1970-1971, and 2017-2018. After Matt left Boaz in June 1971, life happened and Olivia and Matt’s plans fell apart. However, in December 2017, their lives crossed again, almost miraculously, and they have a month in Boaz to catch up on forty-six years of being apart. They attempt to discover whether their teenage love can be rekindled and transformed into an adult romance even though Matt is 63 and Olivia is 61.
In 2017, Olivia and Matt are quick to learn they are vastly different people than they were as fifteen and sixteen year old teenagers– especially, when it comes to religion and faith. Will these religious differences unite them? The real issue is the secret Olivia has kept. Will Matt’s discovery destroy any chance he and Olivia have of rekindling their teenage relationship?
Chapter 23
March 1971
“I already have other plans.” Olivia had told me while we sat in our favorite beanbag chairs at the Lighthouse last Saturday afternoon. I had finally gotten up my courage to ask her to the annual Valentine’s dance. I had falsely believed she had given me an open invitation earlier during the conversation when she said that she enjoyed being with me and how she felt so free to share her innermost thoughts. In response to her total rejection I had blurted out, “I guess I will go with Carol Walker.” It was so stupid of me.
“Have you asked her?” Olivia had asked. No doubt our relationship had sunk as low as it could go. This conversation was taking on a brother-sister aura.
“She asked me, but I turned her down. I guess I let my imagination get away with me.”
“Why don’t you call her? Ask her? She might not have a date yet. Carol is a sweet girl, a good girl. Ya’ll will be a good match.” Olivia just kept on spitting out her sickening sister sayings.
“I think I will just stay at home.” Dad and I might watch TV. I can’t dance anyway.”
“Can I tell you the truth?” Olivia said.
“I thought you always were truthful.”
“Seriously, I wish I could go with you. I have never been on a real date. Friday night has been planned for me. Dad has had this rule for years that I couldn’t start dating until I was 15 and then only under close supervision. I won’t be 15 until May. Wade came to my rescue, sort of, telling Dad that all ninth-grade girls will be at the dance and most of them will have a date. Dad compromised and, with Wade’s help, arranged for me to go with John. As you now know, it’s not really a date. That’s why I said I already have other plans.”
For the next thirty minutes, sitting in our beanbag chairs, I surrendered and slithered into the brother role. I gave up hope that I would ever be a real boyfriend to Olivia. Some things are worth sacrificing for. I had spent nearly six months around John Ericson and the other four members of the Flaming Five, including most every day at school lunch. The only consolation I could provide my mind was that to effectively do my undercover work I had to experience all sides of the youth that comprised First Baptist’s youth group. I knew all John Ericson thought about was sex. But, I had to admit, he could compete with the best Hollywood actors. John was the master of deception. He had Pastor Walter totally fooled.
I had told Olivia that she should be careful around John, that he might try to take advantage of her. I was surprised that she said, “John has admitted to me that he made a mistake with Jessie Dawson.”
“He told you about that?” I was flabbergasted. John and Olivia had talked about him having sex with the delightful Dawson?
“John struggles with his faith. Down deep he is more committed to Christ than virtually anyone in our group. He just has a weakness for girls.” I couldn’t believe how gullible Olivia truly was.
“And, you think you are protected? What makes you think he won’t try something with you? You are playing with fire here, don’t you know?” I literally hated what was happening. To Olivia. And, probably just as much to me. There was no way that I would ever be anything more to Olivia than a caring brother.
“John and I are best of friends. He is a spitting image of Wade. I’ve grown up around the two of them. And, of course, with Fred, James, and Randall.
When John and his four friends came into the Lighthouse I got up and left. I didn’t think I could stomach any more of John Ericson for one afternoon.
That night, Saturday night, I did call Carol Walker. She agreed to go with me but said that her father would drop us off at the high school and pick us up afterwards. Here I was, an eleventh grader, one with his own set of wheels, and I was taking a ninth grader on her first date. Maybe her father would just stay with us the whole evening. It would probably be more fun.
If I hadn’t been so dumbstruck by Olivia, I would have liked Carol Walker. She was a smart, sweet, kind, and gorgeous brunette that wasn’t at all shy like myself. We walked into the high school lunch room. Her with her ample cleavage on display, holding my hand, with head held high. I think she was proud to be with me. I had a good time. For most of the night. Carol was funny and could dance like a pro. She taught me more about dancing than I thought possible.
I had seen Olivia and the tall John Ericson once during an intermission when the lights came on. She too was gorgeous and seemed to be her normal self, talking to everyone around her. I was a little encouraged when it appeared that she wasn’t paying John much mind. Maybe theirs wasn’t a date after all.
This changed for the worse during the first song after the crowning of this year’s Valentine Queen. As always, the winning girl was a Senior. Deidre Cawley, according to Carol, was a sure win since she had for years participated in beauty contests and aspired to be a professional model. As usual, I was confused, thinking this was just high school where the teacher’s voted, and not an event where the selection system was managed and controlled by some international accounting firm.
During that song, as fate would have it, Olivia and John were well within eyesight. It was a slow dance, a song, I think, by Elvis. I should have been concentrating on the lovely Carol who was doing an admirable job of swaying us towards what otherwise would trigger the types of thoughts I, so far, had kept at bay. John and Olivia were also closely embraced and engaged in the same sort of swaying. I somehow managed to steer Carol and me a little closer. I caught a glimpse of John whispering something into Olivia’s ear. Then, my world, my young, seemingly predictable and controlled world ended. I had the perfect view. John’s right hand slipped down Olivia’s back. It didn’t stop, as it should. It was like time stood still. As John moved his hand down beyond Olivia’s back and approaching the center of her generous buttocks, I lost it. Gently at first, I pushed Carol to the side. Less gently, I ran towards Olivia, she was in trouble. Before I could think any counter thoughts my right hand struck John’s head just behind his right ear. I hit him so hard that he fell to the dance floor. But, he didn’t stay down. I only remember one blow. He stood up, walked towards me and punched me with a left hook. I went down hard. I didn’t get up. Later, Ryan told me that before two chaperons, Mr. Jackson and Mr. Hayes, reached the scene, John kicked me in the side two times.
The first thing I remember was standing outside in the high school parking lot with Ryan. He told me that Carol’s dad had just left with her and that my Dad was on the way. Ryan said, “Benson, to be so damn smart, you just did the most stupid thing imaginable. No one ever opposes a member of the Flaming Five. Your ass is grass.”
At 11:00 a.m. I awoke to Dad shaking my shoulder. I was asleep, dreaming about being in a boxing ring with a giant octopus. What long arms it had. “Matt, wake up, you have a phone call. I think it is Olivia.”
“Hello.”
“Matt, this is Olivia. Are you okay?”
“Couldn’t be better. My world is now perfect.” I said always depending on sarcasm to blunt the effects of reality.
“I wanted to thank you. It was awfully brave of you to come to my rescue.” Olivia said as kind and humble as I had ever heard her.
“Olivia, it’s killing me to think that John Ericson is trying to ruin your life. I know it’s not really any of my business, but I care about you and don’t seem to be able to manage myself when it comes to you.”
“Matt, that’s the thing I cannot figure out about you. You clearly are not a Christian, but you act more like Jesus than any boy I know. Are you sure you are not keeping a big secret from me?” Olivia asked.
“Are you trying to be funny. I’m not any better than anyone else. My dear departed mother taught me the importance of being a gentleman. Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m not human. I fight the same temptations that I suspect most every other teenage boy does.”
“I suspect I know what you’re talking about. There is a part of me that wants to play out my fantasies but then I fight back and pray that Jesus will give me the strength to run from temptation, to avoid places and people who cause me to stumble in my thinking.”
When Olivia said she had to go I was again confused. Why had she called? It seemed our conversation wasn’t simply a brother-sister talk. It was more like we were grown-ups with a ton more wisdom than we really had. The best thing about the relationship that was developing between Olivia and me, whatever it was, was the growing openness we shared. I was learning something new about myself. I gained confidence and perspective from mine and Olivia’s talks. Even though I didn’t know much about physical intimacy, although there was that one kiss with Olivia on her couch, I was learning there was another type of intimacy, that developed from sharing my innermost thoughts with the most important person in my life. No doubt Olivia didn’t know, but I knew she was my once in life love.
The Pencil Driven Life 