treatment will be
uncomfortable.”
“Her mother and I will take good care
of her.”
He turned to Gail and said,
“We will always take care of you, sweetheart.”
“What about college?”
“I spoke to Mr. Lawrence
yesterday. I have already arranged to have CCTV camera installed in
all of your classes. You will have a front row seat, and not miss
anything. When you are in therapy, your mother will record
the lessons for you. Don’t worry about anything honey. Bobby
and I will re move everything out of the family room,
and this weekend, we will move your bed and clothes into the house.
That room will look like a classroom by the time school begins in
September.”
Tears pricked Gail’s eyes, and she
covered her face with her hands and cried. Adam gathered her in his
strong arms and kissed her forehead. He whispered in her ear,
“Always remember that I love you, and I want you to be happy. As we
speak, your brother is putting together a new desk for you. Pray he
doesn’t kill himself.”
“Thank you, Daddy. I was
so afraid I would miss my first semester. So, I get a new desk, how
about a new laptop?”
Adam hugged her hard.
“Whatever you want munchkin, we’ll buy one for you on the
way home. ”
Adam called Bobby as they were leaving
the parking garage. “Have you made progress with the
desk?”
“Yeah, it was a bitch to
put together. That goddamn glass top is thick . I had to
call Matt to help me, but it looks good. How’s Gail?”
“She’s much better today. David wants
to keep her in the hospital for a few more days to monitor the
concussion.”
“That’s great. I miss her Dad. It feels
strange not having her in the house.”
“I know son. We all miss her. Your
mother and I just left the hospital. We are going to Best Buy to
purchase a new laptop for your sister. Would you also like a new
laptop?”
“Are you for real? Hell yes, I would
love a new laptop.”
Adam laughed. “Consider it a done
deal.”
Bobby was silent for several seconds.
“Um, Dad, can you put me on speaker phone.”
Adam handed the phone to
Lydia. “Ok son, we can hear you.”
“I moved some of my things and a
sleeping bag into Gail’s new room. She may need something during
the night, and I want to be close to her. She can kick me out when
she gets sick of looking at me.”
Silence filled the air. “Bobby, are you
still on the phone?”
Bobby cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m
still here. Mom, Dad, I love you.”
Adam reached over to squeeze Lydia’s
hand. In unison, they said, “We love you too.”
Emotions ran high as Adam
continued driving. Lydia spoke first. “We have two fantastic children.”
All Adam could say was, “Yes, we do,”
because if he continued speaking, he would lose it
again.
Chapter 12
It is well after the final
meal of the day when I sneak into the rectory like an ordinary criminal. The light in Father O’Connell’s office
is off so I can assume he has retired for the night. I
cannot face anyone. The acid in my stomach makes it impossible for
me to eat. I need time alone to pray, to meditate on the best way
to resolve this problem. Everyone in my family, except Mary, hates
me. I knew it was a mistake returning to this parish. I never
imagined just how difficult it would be, and it is testing my
faith.
Father O’Connell heard
John’s footsteps as he walked towards the church. He gave John
several minutes for private meditation and proceeded to follow him.
Father Brady lay prone on the hard marble floor, face down, arms
outstretched in front of the altar. He cringed at the image of John lying prone on the cold marble floor. It had been many
years since he’d witnessed a priest offering himself up for
absolution in such a fashion.
John heard the metal clacking of his
cane and rose from his position. He quickly wiped the tears from
his face. Walking over to Father O’Connell, he helped him into one
of the pews.
“Why are you crying John?”
“Where do I begin? I
uncomfortable.”
“Her mother and I will take good care
of her.”
He turned to Gail and said,
“We will always take care of you, sweetheart.”
“What about college?”
“I spoke to Mr. Lawrence
yesterday. I have already arranged to have CCTV camera installed in
all of your classes. You will have a front row seat, and not miss
anything. When you are in therapy, your mother will record
the lessons for you. Don’t worry about anything honey. Bobby
and I will re move everything out of the family room,
and this weekend, we will move your bed and clothes into the house.
That room will look like a classroom by the time school begins in
September.”
Tears pricked Gail’s eyes, and she
covered her face with her hands and cried. Adam gathered her in his
strong arms and kissed her forehead. He whispered in her ear,
“Always remember that I love you, and I want you to be happy. As we
speak, your brother is putting together a new desk for you. Pray he
doesn’t kill himself.”
“Thank you, Daddy. I was
so afraid I would miss my first semester. So, I get a new desk, how
about a new laptop?”
Adam hugged her hard.
“Whatever you want munchkin, we’ll buy one for you on the
way home. ”
Adam called Bobby as they were leaving
the parking garage. “Have you made progress with the
desk?”
“Yeah, it was a bitch to
put together. That goddamn glass top is thick . I had to
call Matt to help me, but it looks good. How’s Gail?”
“She’s much better today. David wants
to keep her in the hospital for a few more days to monitor the
concussion.”
“That’s great. I miss her Dad. It feels
strange not having her in the house.”
“I know son. We all miss her. Your
mother and I just left the hospital. We are going to Best Buy to
purchase a new laptop for your sister. Would you also like a new
laptop?”
“Are you for real? Hell yes, I would
love a new laptop.”
Adam laughed. “Consider it a done
deal.”
Bobby was silent for several seconds.
“Um, Dad, can you put me on speaker phone.”
Adam handed the phone to
Lydia. “Ok son, we can hear you.”
“I moved some of my things and a
sleeping bag into Gail’s new room. She may need something during
the night, and I want to be close to her. She can kick me out when
she gets sick of looking at me.”
Silence filled the air. “Bobby, are you
still on the phone?”
Bobby cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m
still here. Mom, Dad, I love you.”
Adam reached over to squeeze Lydia’s
hand. In unison, they said, “We love you too.”
Emotions ran high as Adam
continued driving. Lydia spoke first. “We have two fantastic children.”
All Adam could say was, “Yes, we do,”
because if he continued speaking, he would lose it
again.
Chapter 12
It is well after the final
meal of the day when I sneak into the rectory like an ordinary criminal. The light in Father O’Connell’s office
is off so I can assume he has retired for the night. I
cannot face anyone. The acid in my stomach makes it impossible for
me to eat. I need time alone to pray, to meditate on the best way
to resolve this problem. Everyone in my family, except Mary, hates
me. I knew it was a mistake returning to this parish. I never
imagined just how difficult it would be, and it is testing my
faith.
Father O’Connell heard
John’s footsteps as he walked towards the church. He gave John
several minutes for private meditation and proceeded to follow him.
Father Brady lay prone on the hard marble floor, face down, arms
outstretched in front of the altar. He cringed at the image of John lying prone on the cold marble floor. It had been many
years since he’d witnessed a priest offering himself up for
absolution in such a fashion.
John heard the metal clacking of his
cane and rose from his position. He quickly wiped the tears from
his face. Walking over to Father O’Connell, he helped him into one
of the pews.
“Why are you crying John?”
“Where do I begin? I
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