Then Came Heaven by Spencer Lavyrle

Author:Spencer, Lavyrle [Spencer, Lavyrle]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, General, Fiction
ISBN: 0515124621
Publisher: Jove
Published: 2005-07-26T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

The next day was the first Sunday of Advent when, by tradition, the Christmas crèche was put up in church, where it would remain until the Epiphany. After High Mass the trustees of the parish stayed behind to help Eddie carry up the statues, manger and canvas from the furnace room. At the left front of the church, they stood a backdrop of fresh green balsam pines. In front of the pines was erected a canvas cave that looked so much like real stone the children all believed it was, and wondered how it got there whenever it magically appeared, and where it went afterward, and who could carry stones that large and heavy. Inside the cave went electric lights and the manger scene itself—Mary and Joseph, the three kings, sheep and shepherds, and above the mouth of the cave a beautiful statue of an angel watching over the nativity scene, with a flowing ribbon in her hands and a beatific smile on her face.

Eddie had kept the girls with him while he worked with the men. There was a general rule: no talking in church, not even whispering. The girls were told to sit in the front pew and watch, and not get in the way. It wasn’t long before they grew impatient and came over to whisper, “How much longer, Daddy? We want to go home.”

“Not much longer. Now go back and sit down and don’t get in the way.”

They did as ordered, but soon Lucy returned, whispering, “Daddy, can Annie and me talk, too?”

“Not in church. In church you have to be quiet.”

“But you’re talking.”

“Because I have to tell the men what to do. Now go sit down and stay out of the way.”

She was back in a few minutes, saying, “Daddy, I’m hungry. When are we gonna go?”

“Not long, then we’ll go to the Quality Inn for dinner.” Then Anne, whispering, “Daddy, I have to go to the bathroom.” The church was old and had no public rest rooms. He pulled out a ring of keys and handed them to Anne. “Here. This is the key for the school. Go to the west door—you know, the one you go out of for recess, the one the sisters use—and use the girls’ bathroom. Come right straight back... and don’t lose the keys!”

“Okay. Come on, Lucy.”

As they headed down the aisle, he said, “And button up your coats and put your mittens on.”

They looked incredibly small pushing through the tall swinging doors into the vestibule. Even though they walked to and from school together every day, watching them go away from him through the dim, vacant church filled him with protectiveness and love. He thought a quick prayer: Lord, don’t ever let anything happen to them. I don’t know what I’d do.

At the school building, Anne’s nine-year-old hands had trouble getting the key in the lock. Plus, she had to go—bad. She was dancing around with her legs half crossed, and Lucy at her side telling her

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