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"Hi" Karen raised her right hand in greeting Froirl, one would think Thoirl alive

"Why don’t you give Karen a quick tour while I talk to her ested

"Sure Coe "Our cat, Tinkerbell, just had a litter of kittens, and I found them in the barn"

"Really? I’ve never seen newborn kittens before"

"That should keep those two entertained for a few minutes," Thom said "Why don’t I pour us each a cup of coffee and describe the riding course to you, and then you can decide if you want to sign Karen up for lessons or not"

Actually a cup of coffee sounded wonderful "I don’tIt’s just that Karen was so excited, she all but dragged me out of bed at five-thirty I’s to do than entertainher toward the house "By the way, I’e?" Bernard asked, leaning forward on the hard, plastic hospital chair and wringing his hands "She was in so much pain already Did God think she needed more?"

"I don’t knohy God allows anyone to suffer," Paul confessed to the olderchurch member All Paul had to offer Bernard was his presence, and frankly he wasn’t sure he was doing anyone a favor Least of all Madge and Bernard

Paul checked his watch It was close to four He’d been at the hospital the better part of three hours Most of that ti for word from the doctors They’d co comfortably

"She isn’t, you know," Bernardcomfortably"

"I’m sure she’s sedated," Paul said

"Yes, but the pain’s still there Beneath all that medication the pain’s there"

Paul understood Pain was a fiend, ever present, ever ready to devour one’s strength One’s peace of mind One’s serenity It had eaten away at Barbara like a voracious monster, never satisfied, never content, until Paul couldn’t bear to see the suffering in his wife’s eyes any longer

"She’s sleeping now," Paul said gently "Let her rest Go home and rest yourself"

"I couldn’t sleep"

Paul knew about that as well He’d felt guilty about sleeping when he knew Barbara couldn’t Guilty about being healthy when she was so desperately ill Guilty about being alive when she was dead

He’d wanted to stay aith her, wanted to spend every precious moment she had left at her side Yet he slept The sleep of the darieve Those damned to be left behind Those damned to live the rest of their lives alone

"I’ll drive you ho the older ether and nodded slowly, as if the effort drained hith he possessed

"Hello, Mrs Johnson," Joe Morris said, sticking his head in the door of the church office "Have you see my father around?"

"Joe" The wo as Joe could reed hiet hoht for sore eyes," she said, sounding genuinely pleased to see him

Joe buried his hands in his pants pockets It embarrassed him to have the women of the church make a fuss over him He liked Leta Johnson better than most At least she didn’t pinch his cheeks and tell him what a handsome boy he’d turned out to be Boy indeed! Last suue to keep fro the church ladies he enty-one Soon he’d be ht once and for all

"Have you seenfor hithy conversation with Mrs Johnson

"Not this htful look "Could you come in and talk a minute, Joe?"

Joe looked at his watch "I don’t really have a lot of time"

"That’s fine I’ll only keep you a few moments It’s rather important"

"Okay" He walked inside the office and pulled a chair up to the secretary’s scarredto hier to start Nor could Joe ies in your dad over the last year or so?" she asked

"Changes? What sort of changes?"

"He’s lost weight, hasn’t he?"

"Oh, that," Joe said, relieved "I suppose he isn’t eating properly since Moer and fries I think he intended on having that for dinner"

"Yet he’s turned down a dozen dinner invitations last month alone," Leta murmured under her breath "There are a host of fahted to have your father join them once a ht if he wanted"

Joe didn’t bla "He doesn’t want anyone else to cook for him Dad’s too independent for that"

Leta Johnson found it necessary to store a couple of pens in her top desk drawer "He seeetful of late More often than not I have to res, and even when I do, he arrives late The finance and worship committees have decided to start without hi to arrive on tier"