Jed had no idea that his mom found an eviction notice plastered to their door that morning, nor did he realize that at this very moment his brothers were preventing her from doing something she would later regret if it didn't kill her.
Jedidiah had never met his father. James Stitch was one of those men who made your blood curl after meeting him only once. He was rough on the exterior and even more callous on the inside. Even when he chose to be sober and clean, he was an abusive husband and father. His rude demeanor and foul temper kept Adela and the boys living a sheltered life away from the neighbors and any friends they may have gained throughout the years.
Jesse, Jason and Jimmy all remember years with pop as stressful and even disturbing. Only Jared, the oldest replica of James, remembers the wildly fun side of dad, that Adela originally was drawn to. Jedidiah was a baby when James high tailed it out of Adela's crazy world, thus relieving her of further abuse. In fact the night he left, James violently attacked Adela. Jared, who was 10 at the time jumped in to protect his mother who was holding the baby Jedidiah. Jedidiah had already a divine protector though at this time had no idea of it. James fought his son with an open switch blade, but Jared, the fearless younger version of James, was not afraid.
Jimmy, Jason and Jesse stayed weeping in the corner. In fact, up to this point the three boys always observed from the corners. For some reason, as Adela traipsed across town with nothing but a torn eviction notice in her hand in search of James Stitch, the two older boys Jimmy and Jason got out of the corner and headed after her.
Both boys were a good twenty minutes behind their mom. Not because they wished to be, but to avoid her seeing them. They knew that their mom had a lot to say so that afforded the boys some extra time. Adela was owed 10 years of child support, not that their drug induced alcoholic father had any intention or means of paying it. He would at least let her make a fool out of herself, in his opinion before striking.
Jedidiah was extremely dirty and ravishingly hungry so he temporarily gave up searching for his missing mother and three brothers. Jesse, who was only 13, was actually only two doors down at his friend Mark's house, and was just as clueless as Jedidiah of their whereabouts. By the time Jedidiah had showered and ate a peanut butter sandwich, his mother and two brothers were all the way across town at James's apartment.
Adela was a small woman at on 5'2. When she knocked on the metal door she felt even smaller. When James, who was a good foot taller than her, opened the door she shrunk. His drunken 200 pound body shook the door frame as he leaned upon it.
"Whatchu want?" James yelled angrily.
"Well hello James." Adela calmly replied. "I am going to lose the house." She thrusted the eviction letter at James.
"How is that my business lady?" James slurred.
"Well your boys will need some place to live and you owe us lots of money." Adela bravely blurted out.
"Ha ha, I don't have any money for you." snickered an incoherent James.
By this time, two heads were poking out of the hedge across the walk way trying to remain silent. Also at this time, Jedidiah had finished his sandwich and was on his knees praying for his mother.
So when James Stitch threw a beer bottle at Adela, the two teenagers jumped from the bushes and headed toward their furious father. And at at the very moment when James rose his fist towards Adela, Jedidiah was praying.
"Lord please protect my mother, wherever she may be. Guard her from danger. Send your angels to surround her. Guide my brothers as they too are missing. Help them to make wise decisions, Lord." At the mention of the word "angels" James swung his fury towards Adela and Jason from the left and Jimmy from the right tackled their huge father.
Jason then grabbed his mother to comfort her. Neither brother ever suspected their youngest brother was praying for them, nor would they have considered themselves angels. God will use even two rough hooligan teenagers to act as his angels.
When Jedidiah was done praying. He was spent and sweating. A warm jolt of peace had surged through him. He knew it wasn't his lunch but he could not exactly explain it either. Adela knew her youngest son was unique. She knew of some of his special "powers" yet she did not know that the power of Jedidiah was really the power of God.
Jedidiah then laid down on the couch in front of the television, which he rarely watched. He knew his mother would return soon and he needed to rest.
