The Outsider by Ann H. Gabhart

Author:Ann H. Gabhart [Gabhart, Ann H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Historical, Religion, Inspirational, ebook
ISBN: 9780800732394
Publisher: Revell
Published: 2008-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

14

There was no rest from their duties. Idleness was the parent of want and was not entertained in the Believers’ life. So even on the afternoon of Becca’s funeral, Gabrielle went back out to the strawberry patch. She was glad for the work. Keeping her hands busy helped block a little of the sadness. As she filled her baskets with the plump berries just as she had the day before, it was hard to realize she could no longer look up and see Becca among the little girls in the patch.

“Sister Gabrielle,” a child’s voice cried.

A raw touch of grief shook Gabrielle, but she straightened up and pushed a smile across her face for little Suzy, who stood at her side. “What is it, dear?”

Suzy had tears in her eyes as she held out her hand. In her palm was a velvety blue and black butterfly. One of its wings moved weakly, but the other was crumpled and useless. “I didn’t mean to hurt it, Sister Gabrielle. I just wanted to touch it because it was so pretty.”

Gabrielle knelt beside her and gently lifted the butterfly into her own hand. “Don’t cry, Suzy. I know you didn’t mean to cause it harm.”

“But will it be able to fly again?”

Gabrielle carefully placed the butterfly on a strawberry leaf. “Perhaps. After it rests.”

Suzy looked from the butterfly to Gabrielle. “Does it know I didn’t aim to hurt it, Sister Gabrielle?”

“I’m sure it does, Sister Suzy, but from now on you must remember that some of God’s creatures are better left untouched. Butterflies are meant to fly free and not be captured by our hands.”

After Suzy dried her tears on a corner of her apron and ran back with the other children to gather more strawberry baskets, Gabrielle watched the butterfly wobble as it tried to balance on the leaf with its injured wing. She’d told the child it might fly again, but she didn’t really believe it. Butterflies were so fragile. Still little Suzy had not meant it harm.

Just as the Believers hadn’t meant to hurt Becca.

The pain gathered in a hard knot inside Gabrielle as she wished for the power to change things. She wanted to see the butterfly fluttering through the air again. She wanted to wipe away the night before and have Becca back beside her with her serious eyes and solemn face. She wanted to see the smile that had surely lit up Becca’s face whenever Sister Esther had pulled the little doll out of the hem of her skirt for the child. And then Gabrielle was angry because she had no such power.

The anger pushed through her and then was gone, leaving in its wake a dark, sad place. It did little good to be angry at what could not be changed. The Lord gave and the Lord took away.

Becca was dead just as the butterfly would surely die. Gabrielle grieved, but her grief did not change the truth.

With a heavy sigh, she bent down to pluck more of the red berries off the strawberry vines.

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