Tobit's Dog by Michael N. Richard

Author:Michael N. Richard [Richard, Michael N]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Novels
ISBN: 9781681495989
Publisher: Ignatius Press
Published: 2014-03-27T16:00:00+00:00

Eight

Though tired from her work in the house of others, Anna had housecleaning that had to be done in her own home. She sent Tobit out to socialize with Joe-boy. Her husband needed some exercise, and he needed to keep his mind occupied. Ever since Tobias had left, Tobit had been sleeping restlessly. He dreamed often of Tobias, seeming to imagine trials and tribulations the boy might be experiencing on his journey.

Anna had been at her housework only a few minutes when she heard the creaking suspension of Reverend Walker’s car as he drove it slowly up the driveway. As she came out of the house onto the porch, she saw Tobit feeling his way along from the barn with a bamboo stick. She walked over to take him by one arm.

“Has to be Gaston”, he guessed. “I don’t know anyone else who drives so slow as that. Joe-boy is like swift Mercury in comparison.”

“Shush”, she giggled. “Don’t exaggerate.”

With Anna guiding her husband, they made their way back to the walk that led to their porch. They stood there in front of the steps as they waited for Gaston Walker to go through his deliberate preparations for exiting the car. When he heard the reverend’s car door shut, Tobit called out to him, “Good afternoon, Gaston. What brings you this way? Not that you need a reason to visit an old friend.”

“Indeed, indeed”, returned Reverend Walker. “But, I bring news.”

“Come on up on the porch then and have a sit-down”, said Anna. The two men seated themselves on the rocking chairs, and Anna took her place on the swing.

“I don’t suppose you have heard about Doctor Macklin?” asked Gaston. When both Messagers shook their heads, he continued, “His house burned down last night. It started in his clinic, but the house was a complete loss. He was fortunate to survive. Well, he might not make it yet, but he was alive when they took him to the hospital in Harper Bay.”

“How did it happen?” asked Anna. Walker shrugged, but remembering that Tobit could not see he replied, “Not rightly sure. There are rumors.”

“There are always rumors”, Tobit sighed.

“Always”, agreed Gaston Walker with a soft, grim chuckle. “There is some talk that he left a Bunsen burner on because he was drunk. No explanation for why he might have had it burning to begin with.

“Others say he had stopped drinking but he had a breakdown because of it and set the place on fire himself. I know he had stopped drinking, and it was a struggle for him, but I doubt that story.

“Others say it was an electrical short. Given that it is an ordinary story, and that Doc’s place was in poor repair, it might be the most likely.”

“We’ll keep him in our prayers”, said Tobit, to which Anna emphatically nodded her head.

“Any word from your boy?” asked Gaston.

“He called Frank Forgeron, who relayed to us that they were near to Goldsboro”, replied Anna. “It has taken them longer than they thought it would because of the heavy rain, but they are safe so far.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.