Chapter 29

© Copyright 2006 by Kendra Cornell



Karen woke to a clattering of pans in the kitchen. Sunlight streamed through the windows, and she groggily blinked her eyes, trying to wake up. Karen now had one of two outfits from which to choose- a ripped, and filthy pink velour jogging suit, which had obviously seen better days, or sweatpants and a t-shirt that she had slept in the night before. Either way, she wasn’t going to look too presentable.

Tying her hair back, Karen rose and tucked the sofa bed back into place. She plumped up the pillows and walked out into the hallway, knowing that she needed to be sociable, but not particularly pleased with her appearance or her attitude. Glenda was in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. She wore an apron that had an American flag motif on it. Karen smelled something wonderful baking in the oven, and something spicy simmered on the stove.

“Good morning,” Karen said nervously.

Glenda turned and gave her a big smile- she was obviously a morning person. She was dressed nicely, a small amount of makeup had already been applied, and her hair was all in place. Comparatively, Karen felt a little like a wet sheepdog.

“Good morning, Karen. How did you sleep?”

“Fine, thank you. And you?”

“Oh, just fine, I guess. Wanted to get a jump on the morning, you know?”

Karen smiled somewhat sleepily, and sank into one of the chairs.

“So tell me things about yourself, dear. Paul only told me what happened the night you all met, but he didn’t much say anything else.”

“He and I haven’t really had a chance to talk too much yet. He had a rather… busy day yesterday.”

“Oh, I know it. Larry Wilkins can be a bit of a busybody when he gets his mind to it. But it takes all kinds. And ultimately, it’s in the Lord’s hands anyway, isn’t it…”

“Uh… yeah. I guess so,” Karen replied. Hadn’t she said the same thing only days ago?

Glenda turned and leaned against the counter, searching Karen’s face. “You’re not a Christian, are you honey?”

“No, I’m not,” Karen said somewhat defensively.

“Don’t get your dander up- It’s just my way to be direct. I like to know what everyone’s cards are.”

“I’m not defensive- I just…” Karen didn’t even know what she meant.

“Let’s just change the subject. What is it that you do again?” Glenda asked turning again to stir whatever she had simmering in the pan.

“I’m a political consultant. Right now I work for a firm handling one of the candidates for mayor. Or at least I was… The election’s tomorrow,” Karen said, feeling a little dejected.

Glenda untied the apron, and turned down the setting on the stovetop. She came and sat next to Karen, laying a hand atop hers.

“I can’t even begin to imagine what you must be going through right now. To be chased like that from your home- which should be safe- to have no idea who to trust, and then to end up on a stranger’s doorstep. You must feel like you’ve been turned upside down and shaken for loose change.”

“Well, that’s one way to put it,” said Karen, still feeling disconcerted by this woman’s carriage.

Glenda thought for a moment and then continued, “I know it makes you uncomfortable, but this really must be like a divine appointment. How else can you explain that the same person who’s trying to cause so many problems for this little church is connected to both you and Paul? In any event, you couldn’t have landed anywhere better. Paul’s worried about you.”

To her chagrin, Karen actually started blushing. “What do you mean? I barely know him.” She realized that she was stammering, and stopped before she made things worse.

Glenda looked into Karen’s eyes and whatever she saw must have satisfied her, because she just nodded and looked away.

“Well, how about some breakfast? I’ve got fresh fruit- although it’s not really in season yet, but I’m sure it’s just fine. I scrambled some eggs, and let’s see… I made some homemade biscuits and gravy- that’s Paul’s favorite. He used to ask for it every Saturday morning when he was growing up- him and his dad both!” Glenda said all this as she bustled about, dishing food onto plates. Apparently, she wasn’t going to wait for Karen to answer, and Karen’s eyes widened at the amount of food that Glenda was piling onto the plates.

Setting the dish down in front of Karen, Glenda sat again. “I won’t wake Paul up on his only day off, and the food will keep for a while anyway.”

Karen was about to pick up her fork when Glenda began to pray. She quickly bowed her head, but didn’t close her eyes, using her periphery vision to assess whether or not Glenda had seen her error.

“Lord, we thank you for providing this food and we thank you for bringing us together. We ask that you help Karen’s injuries to heal quickly, and that You would help us to sort out this whole mess. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”

They began to eat, and Karen’s taste buds thought they were in heaven. She had never tasted anything like it- the glop that was served in restaurants didn’t even come close to the light, spicy mixture that Glenda had created. Though the silence wasn’t uncomfortable, Karen found herself truly interested in getting to know this woman better.

“Glenda, may I ask you a question?”

Glenda’s eyes widened in pleasure. “Of course! Ask away.”

“Shouldn’t you sound a little more… I don’t know. Reverent? When you pray, I mean.”

“Well, the Bible says that God is our Father, our Friend, our personal Savior- all that among other things. I would imagine that He is just happy when we really want to talk to him, regardless of how we phrase it,” she said, taking another bite.

Karen thought about that for a minute. “How did you become a Christian… or is that too personal?” Karen asked quickly.

“Not at all! I came to the Lord when I was twenty-two years old. It’s not that I ever really ran away, but I just didn’t know Him when I was growing up. My parents never made much mention of it. My daddy worked, they paid their taxes and raised their kids. Then, I met a man when I was sitting at the soda fountain one Saturday afternoon. He just wouldn’t stop staring at me! And finally, I just asked him if there was something I could help him with.”

“And?” Karen prompted.

“I married him!” Glenda laughed at Karen’s incredulous expression. “No, not right away. That took a couple of years. But I met Paul’s daddy that afternoon, and his family were devout like you wouldn’t believe. It was simply unconscionable that their boy would even date someone who wasn’t a believer. I went to a few youth meetings with him, and then I really started listening. I learned that God was more than a self-help technique, or a cosmic wish granter.

“Oh, not that there weren’t problems. Everyone has them- but after I accepted the Lord, everything just fell into place for me. I had Paul and his brothers, and worked as a hospital nurse.”

“And where is Paul’s dad right now?”

A momentary glimpse of pain crossed Glenda’s features. “He passed away… four months ago.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay. I don’t think it’s something you ever get used to, but I get by.”

Karen searched desperately for another topic. “Glenda, this is delicious. I’ve never tasted anything like it.”

“Mom, did you make me biscuits?” Paul came down the stairs and into the kitchen at that moment, saving Karen from her own mortification.

“Help yourself, honey. It’s all there. I was just getting better acquainted with Karen.”

“Good, I’d like to do that myself,” said Paul as he heaped food onto his plate. “So where were you in your life story?”

“Nowhere, yet,” said Karen.

“Good,” Paul smiled. “Then I didn’t miss anything.” Karen and Paul looked into each other’s eyes for a moment more than was necessary.

“Well, I think it’s a good time to get started on some of this research. I was telling your mother that I work for Tom Delaney. But I was never aware of his relationship with Elizabeth James. For some reason, my boss left that little bit of information out of my dossier. I’m still trying to figure out what she has to do with all this. Then there’s the reporter who attacked me. What else am I forgetting?”

Paul replied between mouthfuls, “Well, there’s the issue of the foreclosure of the church. That must play into this somehow. And of course, I do have that minor issue of my church thinking I’m involved in something illegal, or at least… illicit.”

Glenda reached over to pat his hand. “We are going to work all of that out honey. I’m not sure what help I’ll be, but just point me in the right direction, and I’d be happy to get to work.”

“Karen, what do you know about Elizabeth James?”

Karen pushed her plate away and thought for a moment. “Well, I witnessed a rather heated discussion between her and Tom the night she was murdered. I also learned that she was involved in a business with an unnamed partner after her husband’s death. I assume that must have been Tom, although he never mentioned it. And that didn’t show up on his bio either.”

Paul looked quizzically at them both for a moment, rose and then went into his study. He came back a few moments later with the letter from Elizabeth James, handing it to Karen as he passed by. She read it quickly and looked up at him with a grin on her face.

“You’re joking, right? Is this seriously a letter from… her?”

“That’s what I’ve got at the moment. I can’t authenticate it, if that’s what you’re asking. But it sure would go a long ways toward proving that there was something going on between the two of them.”

“Yes,” Karen replied thoughtfully, “But adultery isn’t a crime. Morally and ethically wrong, maybe, but still not a punishable crime in this state.”

Paul looked a little like a young boy who dropped his ice cream cone. “So what do we do now?”

“We clean up the kitchen. Hot, soapy water always gets the brain going!” said Glenda who was clearing the table.

Paul looked at Karen, and gave a nod. “I say we listen to the woman.”

Karen stood up and sat back down immediately. Her feet were improving, but there were times when jolts of pain shot up her legs, taking her breath away. Paul looked back, concerned.

“I’m sorry, Karen. I just forgot. Please stay there.”

“No- I’ve had enough of you waiting on me. I’m going to help out around here- end of story.”

Paul backed up and watched her struggle to her feet. She gathered up the plates and inched slowly toward the kitchen, stepping tenderly as she went. Paul didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until she made it to the kitchen and looked back with a sort of determined victory written across her face.

“See? I told you I could do it.”

“Of course you can honey. Just take it easy today,” Glenda warned. In a way, Karen sort of liked being looked after. There was a part of her, deep inside, that craved a mother’s attention and caring. It made her feel ten years old again, but in a good way.

“Mom, can I help with anything else?” Paul asked.

“No, you two start tackling whatever you’ve gotta do. Let me finish up in here. I’ll be along momentarily to see if there’s something I can help with.”

Paul nodded and thanked her for breakfast, and Karen echoed his sentiments. He gestured down the hall, and stepped back waiting for her to go first.

“You don’t have to act like a gentleman,” Karen said as she made her way down the short hallway in a rather stilted fashion. “You’d be better served to go and wait for me to get there. You’d probably get a lot more done!”

“Uh, Karen? I don’t have much, but if you’d like to change clothes and get cleaned up, I’d be happy to lend you something else,” he said as red crept up his neck and turned his ears an alarming shade of ruby.

“Paul, I know this is terribly awkward for both of us. I want you to know that I realize you are just being kind. I don’t interpret it as anything else. So please stop being so embarrassed. I see absolutely nothing inappropriate in you lending me something to wear. We both know what I had on is barely fit for anything anymore.”

“No pun intended…” he replied.

Karen stared at him for a minute before she said in amused frustration, “What are you talking about?”

“Never mind. If you want to get cleaned up, I’d be happy to get started on the research. You said you had a file somewhere?”

“Yes… I think I left it in the guest bedroom the other night.”

“Okay, well… I’ll take a look at what you have in there, and whenever you’re ready, just come on down and we’ll see if we can figure a way out of this.”

“Two heads are better than one, and all that…”

“Exactly.”




HEY! and don't forget to e-mail Kendra Cornell if you have a comment! She would really like to hear from you.





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