Cleansed by Fire by Laurie Rockenbeck

Author:Laurie Rockenbeck [Rockenbeck, Laurie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

MORENA PARKER’S wild-eyed rhetoric was what she considered to be scary-Christian crazy. The kind of people who spoke in tongues and threatened violence in a way she didn’t think most Christians believed. Karen was still shaking from the experience by the time she found herself in front of Donna Richards’ house. She opened the little picket fence and knocked on Donna’s door.

“Karen, what has you in the neighborhood now? Come in, come on in. I was cooking up some dinner.”

She waved Karen into the kitchen. A huge pot of chili bubbled on the stove.

“Looks like you’re cooking for the shelter.”

“Oh, yes. Well, I learned long ago that cooking for myself is not rewarding on a daily basis. I make a huge mess of something and then I freeze it into individual meals. It’s the only way I cook anymore.”

“I keep meaning to join one of those cook-for-a-whole-month clubs where people get together and make a month’s worth of dinners.”

“I never heard of that, but it sounds like a great idea.” Donna kicked a door shut near the fridge with her toe and turned toward the pot on the stove, stirring the contents with a large wooden spoon.

“Do you have a basement?” Karen asked.

“Only one of a dozen in the neighborhood. It’s nice and cool down there during the summer, but not if I leave the door open all day long.”

“Are you going to the shelter tonight?” Karen asked.

“Oh, no. I’ve spent enough time there this week. I’m happy to be a homebody for the weekend.” She opened the fridge and pulled out a glass pitcher of lemonade and poured two glasses. “I probably won’t be back until next Thursday for open-mic night.”

“Ah. I can see why it appeals to you. I really enjoyed it last night. “

Donna put the glasses on the table, pulled a seat out for Karen, and sat in the one opposite. Karen settled in and took a sip of the lemonade. It was cool and tangy, just what she needed.

“So, do you know a neighbor of yours a couple blocks over? Her name is Morena Garland.”

“Hmmmm… Morena Garland? Pretty sure I know who you’re talking about. Gigantic wooden cross hanging around her neck?”

“That would be her,” Karen said.

“She’s taken her views to a whole new level.”

“In what way?”

“Well, she’s a fire-and-brimstone, God-is-vengeful kind of believer. She runs around the neighborhood handing out flyers about events at her church.”

“Creepy in a scary-creepy way? Or more of a ridiculous-creepy way?”

Donna tilted her head to the side. “Do you know her history? Her son was murdered. Beaten to death for being gay. Horrific.”

“You think that sent her over the rails?”

“Wouldn’t it you? Losing a child is a test no parent should have to bear.”

“It breaks families up. Parents blame each other. Play the what-if game. They often end up getting a divorce. It’s a tragedy that doesn’t stop with the child’s death.”

Donna grasped her lemonade with both hands. “I should be grateful I didn’t have to endure a divorce. My husband died when Blake was very young.

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