Shelter from the Storm (Chapter 12.)

Mac Davenport and Gary Canfield brought out Julie Benson and

Alex Hobbs to meet Officer Frank Hunt.  Mac calmly reassured

them they were not in trouble when he and Gary brought the kids 

over to Officer Hunt.

 As Officer Hunt watched Mac and Gary bring the two children 

outside to see him, he knew he would have to get down to the

kids' level so as not to make them feel intimidated.  While they

were not in trouble, he was going to have to tell them that their

mother was.  He felt his stomach go into a knot as the two men

and the kids came over to him.

 Mac actually spoke first by making an introduction.  Hunt was
glad he didn't have to speak first.

 "Julie, Alex," Mac announced, keeping his tone pleasant, "Meet

Officer Hunt."

Officer Hunt immediately stooped down to their height to introduce

himself and also to put them at ease.

"Hello Julie,"  Hunt said jovially while slightly tipping his campaign-style

police hat with his left hand while holding out his right, "Hello, Alex. Nice

to meet you, I'm Officer Hunt."

"Hi, policeman," Alex answered, taking the outstretched hand somewhat shyly.

"Hi, Mr. Hunt," Julie responded, unsure of this meeting with this policeman. 

 As Mac and Gary looked on, Gary leaned toward Mac and whispered, "Let's

pray silently that the Lord puts the words in Officer Hunt's heart and mind so

as to make the news easier for the kids to take, alright?"

"You got it,"  Mac whispered back.  And with that Mac and Gary bowed
their heads and closed their eyes and prayed silently as Officer Hunt talked
with Julie and Alex.

Brian and Dawn Canfield were still busy at the work table with Brian

overseeing the work of the other children doing their pinewood derby

cars. An eight-year-old African-American boy, who was a grandson

of an elderly African-American man Brian's dad picked up on the

church bus route, came over to Brian.

Brian looked in the boy's direction and acknowledged with, "Yes, Eric?"

"I can't get my wheels to turn fast,"  Eric replied.

 Brian took the model Eric handed to Brian and tried the wheels and sure

enough, were a bit tight. He examined the bottom of the pinecar and knew

immediately what the problem was. Improperly installed single metal axles.

"It's your axles," Brian answered, "You have to install these axles just right

or your wheels won't turn freely." Brian then reached into a tool kit next to

him and picked out four nail-type axles and then instructed, "Here's four

nail axles. Remove those other ones and replace them with these."

 Brian then demonstrated to Eric on how to install the nails and wheels

by turning his own car on its side and lightly tapping the wheel's center

hub to show how to hammer the nail and wheel into place.

"Don't hammer it hard,"  Brian reminded Eric, "Or you'll have the same

problem.  Got it?"

"Got it," Eric said, Thanks, Brian."

"No problem, Eric."

 As Brian watched Eric leave he found himself  looking at the main entrance

where his dad, Mac, Julie and Alex went out. He found himself getting uneasy

as his sister did earlier. He quickly turned his attention back to the activities

at hand. But his attention was immediately turned back again when he heard

the door open up. Mac, Julie, and Alex came in but Gary wasn't with them.

 Dawn also noticed this and said to Brian, "Dad's still outside."

 Just then Brian and Dawn saw Mac beckon them over to where he, Julie

and Alex were standing.

"Let's go, Sis," Brian said to Dawn, "Mac wants to see us."

 Brian noticed that Julie and Alex appeared somewhat tense, but as he and

Dawn came up to Mac, Julie and Alex were, Julie and Alex smiled on seeing

Brian and Dawn.   Alex ran over to hug Brian with Julie doing likewise with

Dawn.

 "What's up, Uncle Mac?"  Brian wondered, a little confused as to the

reception he and Dawn received from Julie and Alex.

 Mac stooped to Brian's height much the same way as Officer Hunt did with

Julie and Alex outside the fellowship hall, and replied with,  "Brian, your dad

is outside talking with the police. Their mom is in some kind of trouble and

your dad is trying to fix it so Julie and Alex can stay with you , Dawn and

your parents."

"Cool."

 "I hope so, too.  Now you and Dawn take these two over to the table to

complete their projects, alright?"

"Okay, Uncle Mac."  Brian then took little Alex by the hand and led him

over to the work table with Julie and Dawn right behind them.

 Brian then turned to his sister Dawn and said with a wink, "Told you

they'd be back in."

 "Yes," was all Dawn could say.

 A few minutes later Gary Canfield came back in with a look that

registered relief.

Vera then went over to Gary with Karen doing likewise with Mac.

Brian and the others watched his parents, Mac and Karen gather

together as if in conference.  He turned back to resume the pinecar

projects and saw that Dawn, Julie and Alex were focused on the

conference across the room.  Brian knew this and said, "Don't you

worry about them, just go on and complete your projects." He then

reassured them with,  "I can already see that everything is going to

work out just fine."

 And this time Brian did feel reassured.

This concludes Chapter Twelve.