Laelia by Ruth-Miriam Garnett

Author:Ruth-Miriam Garnett [Garnett, Ruth-Miriam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

VIII

REBECCA, UP EARLIER than dawn, met Claudia frantically scurrying down the third-floor hallway.

“Rebecca, did you hear?”

“I heard. I’m going up there and see if I can calm her down.”

“Shall I go with you?”

“Yes, please. But calm yourself down first.”

At Rebecca’s instruction, Claudia took several measured breaths, then followed her sister, already advancing swiftly up the stairs to the attic.

Rebecca pushed open Gracelyn’s door and walked over to her bed, where she sat upright, crying hysterically. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Rebecca put both arms around her.

“Oh, Rebecca, he’s leaving me! What do I have now? I wanted us to be lovers again, even if he couldn’t touch me anymore. We don’t have a chance now. Why is God taking my life away?”

“Gracelyn. Gracelyn. I’m here. Claudia’s here. You’ll have a good life. This is a wall you can’t push against, but it will go away soon. It will go away on its own. Have I ever lied to you? You’ll be strong very soon. Just let go. Let go. Turn your mind to the things you can have, the things you can’t see now.”

“Rebecca, I’m trying.” Gracelyn’s cries subsided as she leaned against Rebecca.

“He’ll be taken care of where he’s going. And when the cancer takes him, he’ll be in a better place. It’s out of your hands now, and you need to let it go. You’ve done what you could do. Now the Lord has another work for you.”

“Do you mean my play?”

“Yes, that’s one thing.”

“Just think how wonderful it’s going to be for all those children who never heard of Harriet Tubman,” Claudia said gently. “You never know what kind of seeds you’ll be planting.”

“That’s true, dear. Claudia’s right.”

Gracelyn sniffed back tears and nodded her head. “I want that so much. I’ve been so excited over doing it. It just seems like it shouldn’t make me so happy right now. I feel like I should be thinking more about Bernard.”

Rebecca, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket, wiped Gracelyn’s wet face.

“Of course you’re thinking about him. He’s been your husband for a long time. But you can still have your joy. It’s the Lord’s will for you to turn Bernard over to Him. That’s the power he needs now. Your power is for other things.”

“Joy always comes in the morning, Gracelyn,” Claudia said brightly.

“I love that song,” Gracelyn replied thickly. “Can you put that record on for me, Rebecca?”

“I sure can. I know right where it is.” Rebecca paused for a moment, still holding Gracelyn, then turned to Claudia. “We better get our day started.”

“It won’t take me long to get dressed, and I’ll go ahead and put breakfast on so Gracleyn can take her time.”

“Thanks, dear. Gracelyn, I’ll put that record on soon as I go downstairs, and I’ll see about Bernard. Don’t you worry about anything except getting yourself together.”

“All right. I’ll be downstairs soon. I don’t want to be by myself too long.”

The Cates women ate breakfast in relative silence. Claudia, noting Rebecca’s expression, did not find extraneous things to chat about.

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