The Reason by William Sirls

Author:William Sirls [Sirls, William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Christian, General, ebook, book
ISBN: 1401687369
Google: L7JNcR_BnVAC
Amazon: 1401687369
Barnesnoble: 1401687369
Goodreads: 14291975
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2012-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

JIM POURED THE DREGS OF HIS COFFEE OVER THE EDGE of the front porch and took in a deep breath of early morning air. It was cold outside. He could actually feel tiny slivers of scented air banking off the walls of his lungs. He recognized the smell as the remaining hints of lacquer that the breeze had continued to pull off the cross. Birds were chirping their good mornings, and a car’s horn beeped impatiently somewhere miles away. He thought about Alex and Brooke and closed his eyes for a quick prayer to give both of them strength.

The front door of the church opened and then banged shut. Charlie had gotten an early start on his chores and had ambled up the hill when Shirley, Brooke, and Alex had left for the hospital. By the sound of it, he was ruthlessly pounding on a rug with a broom handle, knocking the dust out of it and into tomorrow.

“About fifteen minutes, Charlie!” he yelled, letting his son know when it would be time to eat breakfast. In response, the church door opened and closed again. Jim crossed his arms, quickly warming them, took another breath of the cool fall air, and went back in the house.

Inside the kitchen Jim unwrapped two double-packs of blueberry Pop-Tarts and dropped them into the spring-loaded slots of the old toaster. He felt for the electrical outlet, plugged the toaster in, and pressed firmly down on the plastic lever that lowered the four pastries next to the hot coils. He rinsed out his coffee cup, put it in the sink, and took a big, delighted whiff of the Pop-Tarts warming. “Yes, my boy,” he said, as if Charlie were already with him. “The finest breakfast known to man. And no ladies here to refuse me my double portion!” He rubbed his hands together in excitement.

Jim turned and reached up in the cupboard, feeling for and then retrieving two drinking glasses. He lowered them to the counter and then filled each with cool tap water. He quickly set the last one down, overcome by a sudden need to sneeze. He pulled out his handkerchief just before he let go of the biggest sneeze he could remember.

“Bless you, Lindy,” he said with a little laugh of wonder, lifting the handkerchief to cover his nose before sneezing uncontrollably three more times.

“Wow,” he added, wiping delicately at his nose, his chest expanding before sneezing yet again. “Good grief,” he said, putting a hand to his chest, actually feeling winded from the episode.

He blinked rapidly, clearing the tears from his eyes. He dabbed at the sides of his face and then the inner corners of his eyes with the handkerchief. His body rocked as he sneezed yet another time. He chuckled. “Here we go again.”

He covered his eyes with the handkerchief and sneezed twice more.

Jim braced himself against the counter, waiting defensively for another sneeze that wouldn’t come. “What in creation?” he said to the empty kitchen, wiping his eyes again with the handkerchief.

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