A New Leaf by Thomas Kinkade

Author:Thomas Kinkade
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

CHAPTER TEN

ON SUNDAY, AFTER THE SERVICE, REVEREND BEN WENT TO HIS OFFICE where Carolyn waited. A fresh, cool breeze filtered through the open window, ruffling his papers and nearly blowing them away. It was the first truly mild day the town had seen in many months, but for once the promise of spring did nothing to lift his spirits. Wordlessly, Carolyn helped him remove his vestments, then they walked out together to their car and headed for the orchard.

They drove out of town and along the Beach Road, the radio tuned to the classical station. Neither spoke for a long time.

“I might have to stay awhile. Sophie sounded as if he was very bad.”

“I understand. I’ll have Mark come pick me up later. I’ll leave you the car.”

“All right. I guess that would be best.”

Carolyn sat with her gloved hands clutching her purse on her lap. It was good of her to come today, he thought. She knew that this visit was hard for him. Visits like this always were, but this one especially. He was sure that when she married him, she had no idea of what it would be like to be a minister’s wife: the tedious hours of bake sales and the Christmas Fair committee spliced between life’s most intense moments. Yet Carolyn seemed to sail through it all so smoothly. She kept him balanced and sane. She’d never know how much.

The Potter house was filled with people, food, and flowers, all the trappings of one of their famous parties, framed within a mournful, somber atmosphere. The living room was crowded with relatives. Ben recognized some of the grandchildren and Sophie’s brother, Fred, who lived down in Florida.

Sophie’s daughter Una came to greet them and take their coats. Ben and Carolyn embraced her, and he could see that her eyes were puffy from crying. Una led them to Gus, who lay in a hospital bed in the guest room on the first floor. Sophie sat by his side and held his hand. With her back to the door, she didn’t even notice that Ben and Carolyn were there.

The smell of sickness filled the room. For a moment Ben felt as if he couldn’t breathe. He stepped closer to the bed. Gus’s eyes were closed. Ben wondered if Gus had already lost consciousness.

Sophie’s daughter Evelyn and her son, Bart, stood on the other side of the bed. Evelyn walked up to him and took his hand. “Thank you for coming, Reverend.”

“Evelyn, how are you holding up?”

“I’m managing. The waiting is so hard. It’s very hard on Mom,” she said, glancing at Sophie.

“Yes, of course. This is the most difficult time of all.” It was true. Ben remembered when his own mother was dying, watching her cling to the last threads of life. He had been torn between desperate hopes that she would live just a little longer and equally desperate prayers for her painless release into the Lord’s loving embrace.

“He goes in and out,” Evelyn said. “The doctor said it would be like this.

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