have no doubt Michael would be delighted."
"What a wonderful idea! Let's go looking.” He started the car, happy to see she didn’t seem as distressed as before. They went into the Emporium but the woman said they did not carry puppets. Perhaps down the street. After five stops, they found a small shop on a quaint, narrow street which handled antiques, used furniture, old clothes and toys.
"You say you want a puppet?" The old man peered through thick glasses.
"Yes," Catherine grew animated. "A person or an animal. It doesn't matter.”
"I'll look in the back. Just a moment.” He shuffled to the rear of the store.
Catherine wandered through the aisles, amazed at the collection of merchandise. There was literally everything imaginable hanging from the ceiling and cluttering the tables and display counters. "How does one make up his mind in a shop like this?" .
"I'm sure I don't know," Jeffrey chuckled. Then something caught his eye. "Come over here, Sister. Look at this!"
She drew closer and was immediately taken with the superb marble replica of the Pieta. "Oh," she sighed and picked it up, admiring the detail. "It's the Michelangelo from Saint Peter's. Isn't it exquisite?" she exclaimed, turning it over. The bottom was marked fifty pounds. She quickly put it back on the table.
"When I think of the Son of God, it’d that likeness I see. Look at the expression on his face, and the way his mother smiles down at him! Love radiates from her eyes. It's incredible that a mortal could have captured that special glow which must have enveloped them. I'm certain she was as lovely as he portrayed her here."
Jeffrey was standing close to her, watching in rapt attention as she spoke. "It's a remarkable piece, but even her beauty couldn't compare to yours, Sister."
Once again, he’d spoken his mind without thinking. Her eyes opened wide as she looked up at him. A blush suffused her face. There was a noise and Catherine turned quickly in the direction of the back of the shop. Jeffrey looked away reluctantly.
"I have two puppets but they're not the marionette type. You work these with the hand."
"That's perfect," she said in a whisper. He handed her the first one. It was a country bumpkin with freckles and several teeth missing. She slipped a trembling hand inside and wiggled her fingers, but she wasn't very taken with it.
"Here is the other one."
Jeffrey's face lit up. "May I see it, please." It was a dog-- a spaniel. He smiled at Catherine. "You're not going to believe it, but this face looks a lot like Michael's dog at home. It has a little too much red in the fur, but the expression around the eyes and nose is very much like ours."
"He's delightful," she smiled and put it on. "Michael will love it." The shop keeper seemed pleased. "We'll take it," Jeffrey said. The man nodded. "Can I interest you in anything else?"
As Jeffrey spoke quietly with the shopkeeper, Catherine walked to the entrance and gazed out the windows. The rain had stopped. In a few minutes Jeffrey had his packages and they were on their way back to Norwood. They went a different route this time. She didn't recognize the scenery. He drove through several villages and into a park which was a veritable forest. The road wound deeper and farther into the trees. Finally he pulled the car to a stop and turned off the motor.
"Sister, before we get back to the hospital, I want to give you this as a token of my appreciation for all you've done for Michael.” Catherine was deeply touched as she opened the parcel and found the lovely Pieta. "I know you don't take any credit for his recovery. You're too modest for that, but it’s true.
“Michael wouldn’t be alive if it weren't for you," his voice cracked. "You're a wonderful woman, Sister. I've never known anyone like you. Please accept this present. It can't begin to demonstrate what I feel, but since you admired it, I want you to have it."
She couldn't get the words out, her heart was too full. Finally
"What a wonderful idea! Let's go looking.” He started the car, happy to see she didn’t seem as distressed as before. They went into the Emporium but the woman said they did not carry puppets. Perhaps down the street. After five stops, they found a small shop on a quaint, narrow street which handled antiques, used furniture, old clothes and toys.
"You say you want a puppet?" The old man peered through thick glasses.
"Yes," Catherine grew animated. "A person or an animal. It doesn't matter.”
"I'll look in the back. Just a moment.” He shuffled to the rear of the store.
Catherine wandered through the aisles, amazed at the collection of merchandise. There was literally everything imaginable hanging from the ceiling and cluttering the tables and display counters. "How does one make up his mind in a shop like this?" .
"I'm sure I don't know," Jeffrey chuckled. Then something caught his eye. "Come over here, Sister. Look at this!"
She drew closer and was immediately taken with the superb marble replica of the Pieta. "Oh," she sighed and picked it up, admiring the detail. "It's the Michelangelo from Saint Peter's. Isn't it exquisite?" she exclaimed, turning it over. The bottom was marked fifty pounds. She quickly put it back on the table.
"When I think of the Son of God, it’d that likeness I see. Look at the expression on his face, and the way his mother smiles down at him! Love radiates from her eyes. It's incredible that a mortal could have captured that special glow which must have enveloped them. I'm certain she was as lovely as he portrayed her here."
Jeffrey was standing close to her, watching in rapt attention as she spoke. "It's a remarkable piece, but even her beauty couldn't compare to yours, Sister."
Once again, he’d spoken his mind without thinking. Her eyes opened wide as she looked up at him. A blush suffused her face. There was a noise and Catherine turned quickly in the direction of the back of the shop. Jeffrey looked away reluctantly.
"I have two puppets but they're not the marionette type. You work these with the hand."
"That's perfect," she said in a whisper. He handed her the first one. It was a country bumpkin with freckles and several teeth missing. She slipped a trembling hand inside and wiggled her fingers, but she wasn't very taken with it.
"Here is the other one."
Jeffrey's face lit up. "May I see it, please." It was a dog-- a spaniel. He smiled at Catherine. "You're not going to believe it, but this face looks a lot like Michael's dog at home. It has a little too much red in the fur, but the expression around the eyes and nose is very much like ours."
"He's delightful," she smiled and put it on. "Michael will love it." The shop keeper seemed pleased. "We'll take it," Jeffrey said. The man nodded. "Can I interest you in anything else?"
As Jeffrey spoke quietly with the shopkeeper, Catherine walked to the entrance and gazed out the windows. The rain had stopped. In a few minutes Jeffrey had his packages and they were on their way back to Norwood. They went a different route this time. She didn't recognize the scenery. He drove through several villages and into a park which was a veritable forest. The road wound deeper and farther into the trees. Finally he pulled the car to a stop and turned off the motor.
"Sister, before we get back to the hospital, I want to give you this as a token of my appreciation for all you've done for Michael.” Catherine was deeply touched as she opened the parcel and found the lovely Pieta. "I know you don't take any credit for his recovery. You're too modest for that, but it’s true.
“Michael wouldn’t be alive if it weren't for you," his voice cracked. "You're a wonderful woman, Sister. I've never known anyone like you. Please accept this present. It can't begin to demonstrate what I feel, but since you admired it, I want you to have it."
She couldn't get the words out, her heart was too full. Finally
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