Sheila Vanderkam

Those Who Trespass Against Us Sheila Vanderkam

Sienna Henderson and her eleven siblings come of age in dire poverty under a heavy-handed, overly-burdened but devoutly religious mother and a father caught up in his own personal struggles. Sienna determines to rise above her circumstances. At eighteen she finds love and the opportunity to escape the oppression of her painful childhood. Pregnant before high school graduation, she marries Joseph, a handsome and intelligent young Creole man. The bigotry of her husband's family and Sienna's dark complexion lead to her husband's murder at the hands of his brother. A widow and mother of a four-year-old, Sienna pursues a career in law enforcement and takes on raising three of her younger sisters. Seeking to fill the void left by her husband, she has a succession of unfulfilling relationships. Eventually she begins a relationship with a white attorney who appears to offer a long-sought sense of security and companionship. After their marriage, she again faces the anguish of bigoted in-laws. As Sienna strives to pick up the pieces and provide for her children, she helplessly watches as her siblings' lives spiral into a vortex of drugs, alcohol, and incarceration. Her crack-addicted sister is arrested and incarcerated, and Sienna is called on to care for her sister's small children. When she meets a wealthy businessman and enjoys a romance like none other in her life, it seems she has found the love and stability she longs for.or has she? Based on True Story