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"Do you mind if I ask why?"

Actually Paul did He didn’t want anyone to talk hily that he’d done the right thing

"I’d prefer not to talk about it, Steve No offense"

"None taken," Steve assured hi to the cup of coffee as if it were all that stood between hi to break the stilted silence

"Have you decided upon another church?"

"No," Paul ad to do?"

Other than take a few days for caiven theabout it soon He’d need a way to support hie expenses Funny, the thought of what he’d do for money had never occurred to him until this moment

"I don’t knohat I’ll do with myself," he ader to be on his way

"Where you headed?" Steve asked next

Paul told hi trail

"I don’t suppose you’d like company?" Steve asked hopefully "Listen, if you’d rather not have , just say the word I know I can be a real nuisance at tienuinely surprised

"We used to spend quite a bit of tiot sick and, I don’t know, everything changed"

Paul didn’t feel any co if you like," he told his old friend He wasn’t seeking company, but he didn’t have the heart to turn Steve down

Paul’s generosity was rewarded with a big sotten how much he enjoyed Steve’s corown apart following Barbara’s illness and death The fault was his own, Paul realized with regret

As if he understood that Paul had been seeking solitude, Steve didn’t see and a small part of the afternoon

Steve strolled back to his ca chair "Guess I’ht," he muttered "I think I’ll rest up and then find a phone and call Myrna She tends to worry if she doesn’t hear from me"

"I’ll talk to you later, then," Paul said

Steve hesitated "I’ to Myrna about what you toldfrom the church"

"It’s fine, Steve Everyone will learn about it sooner or later"

"I suppose you’re right," he agreed with soe your mind, then the fewer people who know about it the better"

"I’e my mind," Paul said with confidence

Paul decided to rest hiainst it to soak up the sun he heard Steve drive off and smiled softly to himself His friend didn’t realize how fortunate he was to have a wife, even if that round to phone her

He was half dozing when he heard a car approach At first he assuine sound didn’t match the clunker his friend drove

Paul opened one eye to find a fa its way down the dirt road It took hied to Leta Johnson, his secretary Former secretary, he reminded himself

Paul stood when Leta parked and cli with righteous indignation

"If you want to resign, that’s fine withdown the sealed envelopes on the top of the picnic table "But you can damn well mail your own letters As a e hasn’t er to live He asked for you Just exactly what am I supposed to tell that dear man? Tell me, Paul"

Her voice broke, and Paul realized he’d been a fool to think he could run away from his responsibilities

"Tell hiht now," Paul said, and started to gather up his equipment

16

Karen was on the phone when Maureen walked in the door that evening after work She was tired and frustrated and in no mood to cook dinner The Christmas tree wasn’t up yet, and she had a stack of cards left to write, and if she didn’t , it was doubtful they’d arrive before Christmas

She set down her briefcase and her purse and saw her daughter give her a look rife with guilt Without being obvious, Maureen listened in to half of the conversation She walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, removed the chicken breasts she intended to roast, and set theaze followed Maureen around the kitchen

"Okay," Karen added, and nodded Her face lit up with a bright smile "Don’t worry, okay? I’ll tell Mom"

Brian

It could only be her ex-husband, Maureen decided He’d gone behind her back and telephoned Karen when he knew Maureen wouldn’t be there to act as a buffer The man had sunk to new levels of deceit