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“I didn’t knoas possible to love someone other than you so much”

Gabriel cupped Clare’s head with his hand

“I didn’t know, either” He kissed his daughter’s head “In fact, I was just disagreeing with St Paul”

“Oh?” She wiped away a tear “And what did he say in response?”

Gabriel caught her eye She grinned

“I told hireatest virtue isn’t charity; it’s hope I discovered charity with Richard and Grace, but also with you And it helped h some very dark days I also discovered faith, when I went to Assisi But without hope, I wouldn’t be here I would have taken e girl in a Pennsylvania orchard, I’d be in Hell and not sitting at your side holding our daughter”

“Gabriel,” she whispered, the tears flowing

“Charity is a great virtue, and so is faith But hope irl on his chest, swaddled in white and wearing a tiny knit cap

Gabriel’s prayers of thanks were spontaneous and heartfelt Here, in this rooent wife, who had a very large and giving heart, and a beautiful daughter

“This is the culmination of all my hopes, Gabriel” Julia reached out to hier with his own “This is ”

He looked to the future with hope and saw a house ringing with the laughter of children and the sounds of s up and down stairs He saw Clare with a sister and brother, one adopted, one not

He saw baptis with him in the same pew, Mass after Mass, year after year He saw skinned knees, and first days of school, proh school, broken hearts and happy tears, and the joy of introducing his children to Dante, Botticelli, and St Francis

He saw hi, and holding his grandchildren in his ar old with his beloved Julianne and holding hands with her in their orchard

“Nowhis wife’s hand and Clare Grace Hope as she slept peacefully on his chest