The rest of the visit was relatively uneventful. They spent the last
evening together watching TV in the family room. Mary and Ben together on
one side, Lucy and Kevin on the other. In the middle, Morris was
sandwiched between Ruthie and Simon on the couch. Simon and Ruthie kept
grabbing the blanket they were all sharing, and Morris began complaining
that he was getting cold because their antics left his feet uncovered.
Mary's feet were feeling cold too. They'd gotten wet when she'd spent part of the afternoon finding the person to whom she was delivering Pastor David's package. It was in a run-down neighborhood in the east end of town. She'd knocked on the door, hoping to be invited in out of the cold soaking rain that was falling, but the package had been grabbed from her and the door closed in her face. He must have been upset that she hadn't dropped it off before Christmas, she thought, but with her flight delay she just hadn't been able to do it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was strange being back at the church, falling back into the routine. She'd been looking forward to seeing Rachel again, but Rachel seemed even more withdrawn than she'd been before the holidays.
Mary was, as always, quite busy with church activities. Ben did, indeed begin coming to some of their work parties. He was quite comfortable on a ladder so he was a great help in painting those hard to reach places.
He took to meeting her after her flights when his schedule allowed, and they'd drive back to the church together. Sometimes, if she didn't have a meeting or volunteer work scheduled, they'd go back to his flat. There wasn't much privacy at the church, and Mary found these brief interludes very enjoyable. She wasn't sure why, but she decided not to tell others in the community about them.
Ben wasn't the only friend she'd brought into the church community, though. Alison had also joined and, after some initial reticence, had become very enthusiastic about taking part.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
She'd brought two friends to the church, but she still felt guilty that she wasn't contributing to the church financially. So, when an opportunity to rectify the situation presented itself, she was eager to take part.
The church was going to sell flowers to help raise money. There were going to be groups all over the city. Mary and Alison were dropped off together with Charity. Picking up one of the bouquets, Mary noticed that it had a tag that said "For cancer research" on it.
"Cancer?" She looked at Charity questioningly.
"Pastor David explained that to us. There was a special on, and sin is a type of cancer, anyway." Alison piped in.
So they spent the day selling flowers 'for cancer', and did quite well, bringing in over $200 each during the day.
Mary came back feeling much better about her contribution to the church. Pastor David had praised all of them for their hard work.
Rachel hadn't joined them. She'd been feeling sick in the morning. She'd been sick quite a bit over the last week, and still looked rather under the weather when Mary bounced in, bringing one of the few unsold bouquets with her to brighten up the room.
Rachel saw the tag, and looked up at her questioningly as Mary gushed about how well they'd done. Raising an eyebrow Rachel said, "So, you've been telling people it's for cancer. Isn't that illegal?"
"But that's not important. We're helping the church." She'd been so pleased, why was everyone always seeing the negative side to things? As Mary stomped off Rachel pulled the covers back over herself.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A few days later she went back to her room and noticed that Rachel's bed was made, but all the things were gone from the top of her dresser. She went over to the dresser. Hesitated briefly. Then opened the top drawer. Empty. All of them.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"It's always hard when the people we think are our friends let us down."
Mary nodded. She felt so guilty that she hadn't seen this coming. She'd been so busy with Ben and Alison. Rachel had just become quieter or quieter.
"She wasn't a true believer, Mary."
Mary could hear the echo of Rachel's question. "Do you ever have doubts . ?"
She nodded again.
Once saved, always saved. So she'd never really been saved.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Mary I have to ask you for a favor."
She nodded absently.
"You have another flight to Puerto Rico going out tomorrow, don't you?"
Mary nodded again.
"Rachel had been going to take a package to a friend of mine in Puerto Rico. It's time sensitive. Would you mind delivering it for me?"
Mary took the package. It was lighter than the last one.
"What's in it?"
"Just paper."
Taking the package, Mary went back to her room. At first, she couldn't understand why Rachel would leave without saying good-bye. Then she realized that she would, of course, see her on the next flight.
In this she was disappointed, however. She was surprised to see Jane Anderson there instead.
"Why isn't Rachel on this flight? I thought she was scheduled."
She was hoping for information but all she got was: "I'm sorry Mary, but I'm not able to talk to you about Rachel's case. Our employee files are confidential." Jane paused and looked at Mary searchingly. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me, Mary?"
Mary shook her head, puzzled.
"Well." She pursed her lips. "If you change your mind, I'm here."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ben met her afterwards. She was so looking forward to seeing him. She was upset about Rachel, and he seemed like the only person she could really talk to. She'd waited impatiently while her bag was searched on the way out of the airport. A new employee was doing it and he seemed to take forever.
Finally, she was through. She ran up to Ben who presented her a bouquet of flowers - proceeds to cancer research. If only he knew, she thought. She waved at the person selling flowers in the lobby as they went by.
Mary's feet were feeling cold too. They'd gotten wet when she'd spent part of the afternoon finding the person to whom she was delivering Pastor David's package. It was in a run-down neighborhood in the east end of town. She'd knocked on the door, hoping to be invited in out of the cold soaking rain that was falling, but the package had been grabbed from her and the door closed in her face. He must have been upset that she hadn't dropped it off before Christmas, she thought, but with her flight delay she just hadn't been able to do it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was strange being back at the church, falling back into the routine. She'd been looking forward to seeing Rachel again, but Rachel seemed even more withdrawn than she'd been before the holidays.
Mary was, as always, quite busy with church activities. Ben did, indeed begin coming to some of their work parties. He was quite comfortable on a ladder so he was a great help in painting those hard to reach places.
He took to meeting her after her flights when his schedule allowed, and they'd drive back to the church together. Sometimes, if she didn't have a meeting or volunteer work scheduled, they'd go back to his flat. There wasn't much privacy at the church, and Mary found these brief interludes very enjoyable. She wasn't sure why, but she decided not to tell others in the community about them.
Ben wasn't the only friend she'd brought into the church community, though. Alison had also joined and, after some initial reticence, had become very enthusiastic about taking part.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
She'd brought two friends to the church, but she still felt guilty that she wasn't contributing to the church financially. So, when an opportunity to rectify the situation presented itself, she was eager to take part.
The church was going to sell flowers to help raise money. There were going to be groups all over the city. Mary and Alison were dropped off together with Charity. Picking up one of the bouquets, Mary noticed that it had a tag that said "For cancer research" on it.
"Cancer?" She looked at Charity questioningly.
"Pastor David explained that to us. There was a special on, and sin is a type of cancer, anyway." Alison piped in.
So they spent the day selling flowers 'for cancer', and did quite well, bringing in over $200 each during the day.
Mary came back feeling much better about her contribution to the church. Pastor David had praised all of them for their hard work.
Rachel hadn't joined them. She'd been feeling sick in the morning. She'd been sick quite a bit over the last week, and still looked rather under the weather when Mary bounced in, bringing one of the few unsold bouquets with her to brighten up the room.
Rachel saw the tag, and looked up at her questioningly as Mary gushed about how well they'd done. Raising an eyebrow Rachel said, "So, you've been telling people it's for cancer. Isn't that illegal?"
"But that's not important. We're helping the church." She'd been so pleased, why was everyone always seeing the negative side to things? As Mary stomped off Rachel pulled the covers back over herself.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A few days later she went back to her room and noticed that Rachel's bed was made, but all the things were gone from the top of her dresser. She went over to the dresser. Hesitated briefly. Then opened the top drawer. Empty. All of them.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"It's always hard when the people we think are our friends let us down."
Mary nodded. She felt so guilty that she hadn't seen this coming. She'd been so busy with Ben and Alison. Rachel had just become quieter or quieter.
"She wasn't a true believer, Mary."
Mary could hear the echo of Rachel's question. "Do you ever have doubts . ?"
She nodded again.
Once saved, always saved. So she'd never really been saved.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Mary I have to ask you for a favor."
She nodded absently.
"You have another flight to Puerto Rico going out tomorrow, don't you?"
Mary nodded again.
"Rachel had been going to take a package to a friend of mine in Puerto Rico. It's time sensitive. Would you mind delivering it for me?"
Mary took the package. It was lighter than the last one.
"What's in it?"
"Just paper."
Taking the package, Mary went back to her room. At first, she couldn't understand why Rachel would leave without saying good-bye. Then she realized that she would, of course, see her on the next flight.
In this she was disappointed, however. She was surprised to see Jane Anderson there instead.
"Why isn't Rachel on this flight? I thought she was scheduled."
She was hoping for information but all she got was: "I'm sorry Mary, but I'm not able to talk to you about Rachel's case. Our employee files are confidential." Jane paused and looked at Mary searchingly. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me, Mary?"
Mary shook her head, puzzled.
"Well." She pursed her lips. "If you change your mind, I'm here."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ben met her afterwards. She was so looking forward to seeing him. She was upset about Rachel, and he seemed like the only person she could really talk to. She'd waited impatiently while her bag was searched on the way out of the airport. A new employee was doing it and he seemed to take forever.
Finally, she was through. She ran up to Ben who presented her a bouquet of flowers - proceeds to cancer research. If only he knew, she thought. She waved at the person selling flowers in the lobby as they went by.