Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 28)

Shelter From The Storm. (Chapter 27)

Merry Christmas From The Folks Of Newberry.

"We the folks of Newberry want to wish you a the best Christmas holiday
ever  and remember the true meaning of the holiday; the birth of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ!  Remember that He is the reason for the season!" 

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 26)

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 25)

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 24)

Special Notice.

Greetings,

I have decided to go to a comic format on my storyblog Newberry
as I enjoy illustrating more then writing so from now on the rest of
this story, 'Shelter from the Storm' and all stories following will be
all-comic stories. I sincerely hope you enjoy them. Thanks and
God bless.

In Christ,

Zach Donaldson

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 23)

In the ICU unit at County General Hospital, Ralph Morgan lay
in a coma, the result of an explosion of a mobile home that sat
next to his own mobile home. The trailer that had exploded was
the home of Reba Hobbs, the mother of Julie Benson and Alex
Hobbs, the two young children now in the foster care of Gary
and Vera Canfield.
 Outside the room where Ralph Morgan lay, Nurse Cindy Hunt
and fellow nurse Angie McGowan were talking to one another
at the nurses station.
 "Does your ex-husband have your son for the weekend?" asked
Angie  while she kept her eyes on the monitors of the occupied
patient rooms.
 "Oh, yes," Cindy answered as she took notes from a monitor
she was looking at,  "though I don't know if they're having much
time together as Frank's had patrol duty this weekend."
 "Really?" Angie responded.
 "It was his turn to work the weekend shift."
 "Oh."
 "And speaking of kids, he's been involved somewhat with a
case concerning the two kids of Reva Hobbs. She got arrested
for drunk driving you know.  Frank was the one who arrested
her."
"You mean Reva Hobbs the housekeeper?" Angie's eyes lit up
as she turned around to face Cindy.
"That'd be her." Cindy replied.
"Oh, my. So who's looking out for her kids?"
"They're in the foster care of a local family. From what I hear, the
folks who have them are the ones that drive a church bus that takes
them to a church they go to. Newberry Community Church."
 After completing her notes, Cindy went to the room where Ralph
Morgan lay to check up on him. Though still in a coma , he was in
stable condition.
 Angie McGowan had just thought of something when she heard
Cindy Hunt mention Newberry Community Church. It occured
to her that one of the hospital clergy members was the pastor of
that church. Yes, she remembered now, Hal Shumway.
 She remembered him when he was in the ICU the last time
visiting a cardiac arrest patient along with the patient's wife and
daughter.
 Angie remembered hearing only pieces of Hal Shumway when
he was consoling his family, and while Clergyman Shumway was
not flowery in his speech as compared to the other clergy, he sure
spoke with compassion. Angie had also noticed that the woman and
her daughter, although shaken by the condition of the heart attack
victim, also seemed reassured of the victim's recovery, because
sure enough, he did survive and recover.
 Cindy Hunt returned to the nurses station after checking up on
Ralph Morgan and said to Angie, "Mr. Morgan is stable but still
in a coma."
 "At least he's stable," Angie said, "I actually heard that explosion,
too!"
"So did I,"  Cindy added, "Only thing was, it wasn't his trailer, but
the one next to his that blew up."
"Did they ever find out what caused it?"
"I haven't heard, it's still being investigated.  Frank was at the scene
as well."  Cindy went back to her seat to continue tending the monitors.
 "I hope no one was in the trailer when it happened," Angie went on.
 "They didn't find any bodies in it, and it was totally destroyed."


 As the services at Newberry Community Church were drawing to a
close, Pastor Hal Shumway gave a closing prayer and dismissed the
service with a 'God bless you' to the congregation.
 In the pew where Mac Davenport and Karen Williams sat, Karen
turned to Mac as they both rose up from the pew and asked, "You
really liked my singing, Mac?"
 "I sure did, Karen," Mac answered, "it was quite a pleasant surprise."
 "Thanks,"  Karen smiled,  "Shall we talk about it over lunch?"
 "Most certainly, dear lady." Mac said, mimmicking the manners
of an English gentleman not unlike that of Wilfred Templar; Mac's
fellow greeter.
 "Is the Country Skillet okay?"  asked Mac.
 "That's beautiful."  Karen had been thinking of the time that
she and her mother went there with the Canfields the first time
they visited Newberry Community Church.
 "Great."  Mac then saw Tommy Hunt, son of  Newberry Police
Officer Frank Hunt, with the Canfields and decided to talk with
them before leaving.
 "Excuse me, Karen," Mac turned to her, "I need to talk to the
Canfields for a minute."
"Okay," she smiled.  She knew how close Mac and the Canfields
were.
  Mac looked to Tommy Hunt and asked him enthusiastically, "Well,
Tommy, how did you like your visit at our church this morning?"
 "It was great, Mr. Davenport," Tommy answered happily. "I like
the Sunday School class. We're building a model of the Tabernacle."
 "Outstanding! I'm glad you liked it!"
 Tommy went on. "We still have more to do on the model, and I want
to come back and help finish it."  Tommy looked down as if unsure.
Mac stooped to Tommy's height and said to him, "Why we would be glad
to have you back, son."
Gary leaned downed and said, "His parents are divorced and he's concerned
he might not be able to come back."
Mac looked up at him and replied, "I see."
 Karen looked on Tommy with concern and thought,  Aww, bless his heart.
 Mac then turned back to Tommy and said with cheerful assurance, "Now
don't you worry about a thing, little guy. We're going to pray for you as well
as your mom and dad."
 "Thanks, Mr. Davenport," Tommy replied.
 "Mac then put both hands on the boy's shoulders and said to him,  "I happen
to know both your mom and dad.  I believe that deep down they'd want you
in church." And with that Mac reassured him with a wink then rose back up
and patted the boy on the head.
 "We'll pray for you, too, Tommy," Brian added.
 "We all will,"  Dawn put in.
 Mac spoke to Tommy one last time with, "As you head out, Jenny's got a
little gift and candy for you."
"Thanks," Tommy smiled and then he acompanied the Canfields out to the
area of the hallway just outside the sanctuary. There at the tract rack, Jenny
Garrett, another greeter of the church's welcome ministry came over to Tommy
and handed him a Bible book marker and two spiritual hard candies; gifts that
were given out to first-time child visitors.
 "Thank you for visiting us, Tommy,"  Jenny smiled at him, "Come back and
see us and God bless you."
"Thanks," Tommy answered while taking the gifts Jenny handed to him.  The
Canfields then headed to the coat room to get their coats and left together
with the folks who rode the church bus heading out right behind them.


Mac and Karen headed out of the sanctuary after conversing with Karen's
parents as well as a few other members, holding hands as they headed to
the coat room. When they got there, Mac, ever the gentleman, helped Karen
into her coat, a white faux-rabbit fur jacket which she only wore to church or
special occasions.
 Karen turned to Mac as she buttoned her jacket and said, "I felt sorry for
that boy Tommy, the way he looked down at the floor."
 "I know,"  Mac replied, "but I have faith he'll be back."
 "You seem really sure he will,"  Karen said as she slipped on a pair of black
 Isotoner stretch leather gloves.
 "Karen,"  Mac said.  "I happen to know both his mom and dad."
 "Oh."
 "Let's talk about it at the Skillet."
 "Ready when you are, Mac."
  Mac and Karen again both got hold of one another's hand as they headed
out the door and to Mac's 1966 Mustang.


This concludes Chapter 23.

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 22)

The sanctuary of Newberry Community Church was filling up as Mac rang

the church bell to signify the beginning of the Sunday morning service.

In the fifth pew on the left, Karen looked back and smiled as she heard

Mac ring the church bell, as she had heard long before she and her parents

attended the church. Karen turned back around to face the front, then focused

her eyes upward and smiled dreamily.  It fascinated her that she was falling in

love with the man who before she never knew and yet she could always hear
him; figurativly speaking, anyway. She became lost in that thought when a
voice snapped her daze.  

"Karen?" she heard Mac suddenly, "Are you all right?"

"Oh,"  Karen said, startled. "Mac!  Sorry, I was in a daze."

"Everything all right?"

"Oh yes."  Karen that patted the empty space next to her in the pew she
sat in to motion Mac to sit down beside her which he did.

 Mac had to tell her something and he seized the opportunity before the
service began.

 "Karen," Mac whispered to Karen,  "What are you doing after church."

"Not a thing," Karen whispered back in answer.

"I'd like to get together with you after church if that's all right with you."

"I'd love that."

"We'll discuss where after the service. The service is getting ready to start."

"That's fine, Mac."  

 The service began with prayer and then the offering.  After those were out

of the way Pastor Hal Shumway gave this announcement,  "This morning
we have special singing. Karen Williams has a hymn she wishes to share
with us."  He motioned for Karen to come foreward.  "Karen, please
come on up."
 Mac got up and out of the pew to let Karen out and as she made her way
toward the pulpit Mac thought to himself,  She has a singing talent, too?
Karen's parents looked toward Mac and just grinned which made Mac
wonder, What else hasn't she told me?
 Mac turned to where Karen stood at the pulpit and addressed the crowd
with "Good morning everyone," into which the congregation replied with
the same words. Karen then announced,  "This morning I"m going to sing
 'Servant's Heart.'  It's an old Ron Hamilton tune and it's also in our
hymnals if you would like to follow along."


 A couple of pews back from where Mac sat, the Canfields along with
Julie, Alex, and their newfound friend Tommy Hunt got out their hymnals
from the slots in the back of the pew in front of them, with Brian helping
Alex and with Dawn helping  Julie and Tommy find the page. Brian and
Dawn knew the hymnals almost like they knew their bibles and shared
it accordingly. When everyone got to the page of the hymn that Karen
was going to perform, they saw Karen look up and nod toward the
sound room where Tim McCann, the sound system operator, kicked on
the karoake system that would provide the backup music as Karen sang.

The intro music began as Karen stood ready to begin the vocal arrangement.
 When on cue, she began with a soft and almost angelic voice:


                "Make me a servant like you, dear Lord
                       Living for others each day
                 Humble and meek, helping the weak
                      Loving in all that I say

                 Give me Lord, a servant's heart
                Here's my life, take every part
                Give to me a servant's heart
                Help me draw so close to You
               That Your love comes shining through
               Give me Lord, a servant's heart
               Give me Lord, a servant's heart


            Make me a witness like you dear Lord
                 Sharing the love of the cross
              Sharing the word, till all have heard
                  Sharing whatever the cost


             Give me Lord, a servant's heart
             Here's my life, take every part
            Give me Lord, a servant's heart
            Help me draw so close to you
           That Your love comes shining through
           Give me Lord, a servant's heart
           Give me Lord, a servant's heart."



 When Karen finished there was clapping with Mac
the first to stand while clapping with those close by
him joining him then immediately the whole congregation.
Karen called out a "thank you" before she stepped down
and back to the pew where Mac and her parents were sitting.
Mac got up from the pew to let Karen back in, a look of
amazement on his face as Karen walked past him and to her
spot in the pew.
 Karen noticed the look of amazement on Mac's face and
when he sat back down next to her, she leaned toward him
and whispered, "You look surprised.  Good. I wanted to
surprise you."
 "I must say that I am," Mac whispered back,  "I must also
say that you have a beautiful voice. You did a great job."
"Why thank you, Mac."
"Just what else haven't you told me yet?"
 "We'll talk about it after church, okay?"
 "Sounds good."
   The next thing they both knew, Mac's left hand and Karen's
right hand moved toward one another and then they were
holding each other's hand and giving side glances to each
other.

 This concludes Chapter 22.

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 21)

While the Sunday School classes were in session, Tommy Hunt sat with
Brian, Dawn, and Julie in the small classroom.  Alex was in another class
for younger children.  While waiting for the class teacher, which was taught
by Kenny Baker and his wife Linda; Brian, Dawn, and Julie discussed with
Tommy about the church and the class.
 "You'll like Mr. and Mrs. Baker," Brian assured Tommy,  "They make the
lessons fun to learn."
"You'll like this lesson, too,"  Dawn added,  "Today we're going to build a
model of the Tabernacle."
"Cool."  Tommy grinned.
 "And it won't be just for this day's class, either,"  Julie put in,  "Mr. Baker
said it would take at least two more Sundays to complete."
"Will we do painting on it, too?"
 "Yes," Brian answered,  "That's the fun part."
 Ah, cool!" Tommy responded happily,  "I like to build
models, too!"
 "You know the man you met outside, Mr. Davenport?" Brian
mentioned, "He still builds models too.  He likes the old cars."
"That's what I build,"  Tommy said excitedly,  "My dad got me
in to it."
 "Because of that," Dawn stated,  "he heads our pinewood
derby races, along with our dad."
 "When do you have those?"
 "In the late summer every year."
 "We actually had it last week this time," Brian added, "because
Mr. Davenport got hurt rescuing a man from a wrecked car so
it was delayed."
 On hearing what Brian had just said, he remembered his dad
talking about an accident and a man getting hurt while pulling a
another man out of a car that crashed into an electrical pole.  He
heard that the car caught fire when the wires from the pole came
down.
 Tommy was still thinking about the accident he heard about from
his father when Kenny and Linda Baker came in with a large flat
box and a kit containing painting and hobby tools.  Kenny started
the class with prayer then proceeded with the lesson which was
the teaching and then the assembly of the Tabernacle kit.


As 10:15am rolled around, Mac resumed his greeting duties as
did Wilfred and Jenny. As Mac stood by the front entrance he
saw Karen Williams coming back from the women's Sunday
School class, which was held in the fellowship hall next to the
church.
 Karen walked over to Mac and began with, "After hearing about
what happened at the trailer park where Julie and Alex used to
live, I thought I was going to go into shock."
 "I understand, Karen," Mac replied, "I knew from where I saw
the glow from the fire where it was."
"And I thanked God that the kids were safe with the Canfields."
"That makes two of us, Karen."  Mac looked at his watch and
saw that it was time to ring the church bell.
 "Excuse me Karen", Mac said, "Time for me to ring the church bell."
"Oh, please do,"  Karen answered, "I always love hearing it."
 As Karen turned to walk to the sanctuary Mac stopped her and asked,
"Is it alright if I sit with you during the service?"
 "Why, Mac," Karen smiled in surprise, "you know you're welcome anytime."
  She lightly punched him on the arm playfully and added with, "Don't be so
modest."
"It just seemed like the thing to ask."
 "Oh lighten up, Mac Davenport," she chuckled,  "I know all about you."
 "Karen, you're scaring me," Mac said in mock fright.
"Good, then I'll see you in there."
  Wilfred and Jenny were observing the playful banter between Mac and
Karen.  Jenny remarked with, "I think they're falling in love with each
other."
"It does appear to be heading in that direction, dear Jenny,"  Wilfred
replied, smiling in the direction where Mac and Karen were.


This concludes Chapter 21.

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 20)

Mac Davenport arrived at Newberry Community Church around
seven-thirty in the morning to open up the building and prepare
it for the Sunday morning service. His mind was still on the explosion
he heard last night and knew it had to have come from Sunrise Trailer
Park for that area where he saw the glow came from the same direction
where the trailer park was located.
 What got him was why the explosion was so intense.  Being a former
firefighter and having fought a few mobile home fires knew of  their
intensity to burn.  But for one to explode like the one he heard last
night was unusual even for a trailer fire. It had to have been a homemade
bomb.  The thought of that made him cringe.
 Mac was still thinking of last night when he heard someone enter the
back entrance of the church.  He heard the voices of Wilfred Templar
and Jenny Garrett; his fellow greeters.
 Mac was in the copier room of the church office and called out from
there, "Wilfred! Jenny! Good morning!  I'm in here!"
 "Ah, good morning, young Mac,"  Wilfred replied as he entered the
office with Jenny following.
 "Good morning, Mac," Jenny answered then added, "Do you want
me to prepare the coffeemakers while you and Wilfred do the bulletins?"
"Sure, go right ahead, Jen' " Mac said,  "This won't take long, anyway."
 "Okay, Mac."
 Jenny turned and headed to the tea room to prepare the coffeemakers
and lay out the snacks.  Jenny knew Mac bought coffee cookies and
kept them in the shelf above the table where the coffeemakers sat. She
reached in to get them and laid them on a glass serving tray then got
to work setting up the coffeemakers.  She had the routine down pat
as did Mac and Wilfred.
 As Mac went to the table in the hallway to lay out the bulletins Mac
caught a glimpse of someone entering the church, looked to the right
and saw Officer Frank Hunt step in.
 Mac responded with, "Well good morning Officer Hunt. What's the
trouble?"   Mac went over to him.
 "Are the Canfields here?"  Hunt asked.
  "They should be here any time,"  Mac answered,  "Is something wrong?"
  "Let's talk outside,"  Hunt insisted.
 "Sure, no problem."
 Mac and Officer Hunt went outside through the front entrance and to
where Hunt's patrol car was parked then Hunt began to speak.
 "There was a trailer explosion last night at Sunrise Trailer Park," Hunt
began, "and the trailer involved belonged to the mother of the kids that
the Canfields now have in their foster care."
 Mac felt his tongue go dry and his head buzz when Hunt mentioned
the Hobbs trailer being the one that blew up.  What's going on here?
 "What exactly caused the trailer to explode?"  Mac asked, trying
to stay calm.
"It's still under investigation, but they believe it's arson."
"I see."
 "Mac, I usually don't talk about incidents to those not involved but
I trust you and I know how close you are to the Canfields, but it's
also imperative I talk to them__for the sake of Julie and Alex."
"I understand."
 Just then Mac and the officer heard a car pull in. Mac looked over
and saw that it was the Canfields' maroon Dodge minivan, their
other vehicle.
Officer Hunt was getting ready to walk over to where the Toyota
pulled in when Mac suggested, "Why don't I walk over there with
you, Frank?  It might ease the tension."
"Absolutely."  Frank suddenly stopped short, turned back toward
the patrol car and to the front passenger door to open it.  Frank
then said, "Oh, something else I'd like to ask of you and the
Canfields."  And with that he opened the car door and out of the
car came a little boy with light brown hair, about eight-years-old
and wearing a white collared polo shirt and dark blue pants and
black shoes and carrying a children's Bible.
 "Mac," Frank began to say, "this is my son Tommy."   He then
turned to Tommy and said, "Tommy, this is Mr. Davenport. He
welcomes people to the church."
Mac stooped down to the boy's height and extended his hand to
the boy, the boy reaching to take it; albeit somewhat shyly.
"Well, nice to meet you, Tommy,"  Mac smiled,  If you and your
dad come with me, there are four other kids who would like to
meet you as well."
 "You'll like them, Tommy," Frank assured his son.
"Thank you, Mr. Davenport,"  Tommy finally answered.
 You're welcome, Tommy,"  Mac replied, "Your dad is
right, you'll like these kids."



 Gary and Vera Canfield noticed the Newberry police car and the police
officer talking with Mac when they pulled in to park next to the church bus.
Julie and Alex exchanged uneasy glances to each other then to Gary and
Vera.  Brian and Dawn did the same.
 Gary noticed the nervous expressions of the kids and reassured them with,
"Now let's not get excited. That officer is just talking with Mac."
 "Yes,"  Brian chimed in, "But what about?"
  It was then they saw a little boy climb out from the front passenger side of
the patrol car and walk toward Mac and the officer with Mac greeting the
boy.
 "I think that's our answer," Gary said as he saw Mac, the police officer, and
the boy walk toward to where they parked.
 "Policeman have boy with 'em."  Alex piped up.
 "Well, let's go over and say hello, shall we?"  Gary suggested as they all
got out of the minivan.


This concludes Chapter 20.

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 19)

Mac Davenport was almost asleep when a distant explosion woke
him back up. Cornelius; lying next to Mac's bed, suddenly lifted his
head and began barking frantically with Kato suddenly leaping from
off Mac in the process.  Mac, being a former firefighter, knew from
the sound of the explosion that it often meant disaster. He leaped out
of bed and ran into the living room with Cornelius and Kato right
behind.  Looking out the living room window he saw an orange glow
in the northeast area of town.  Mac knew right away it was coming
from the trailer park.
 I'm so glad Julie and Alex are with the Canfields, Mac thought.


 Karen Williams was just about ready to turn out the light on the
small nightstand next to her bed when a thunderous boom caused
her to exclaim, "What was that?"  Karen could hear the thumping
of feet in the hallway as she knew her parents had heard it too.
Karen flew out of bed and to the hallway and said to her mother
and father, "Mom! Dad!  What is that?"
 "I don't know, honey!" came her mother's reply.
 "Sounds like it came from the east!"  Karen's father added.
 As soon as Richard said that, he heard the eerie tone of the
Newberry Fire Department fire siren winding up.
 When Richard heard the siren, he said, "Whatever it is, it's
trouble if that fire siren is any indication."  The three of them
went toward the kitchen as their kitchen window faced east.
Sure enough as Richard pulled the curtains back he, Neva,
and Karen saw the orange glow which lit up the night sky
around it.
 Richard looked out and said, "The only place that would be
in that direction is the Sunrise Trailer Park."
 Karen put her hand over her mouth in shock when the trailer
park was mentioned as she knew Julie Benson and Alex Hobbs
had lived there.  Karen clasped both her hands together, looked
up and praised God aloud, saying,  "Oh thank you Lord that Julie
and Alex are safe with the Canfields!"
 "Yes, indeed," Richard replied, also looking up.
 "Thank you, Lord,"  added Neva.


The sound of the explosion in the eastern part of Newberry had
also reached the home of the Canfields as they were getting
ready to turn in also.
 Brian Canfield was the first to react and immediately ran to the
window to see where the sound came from, with Alex along
side him. He could see an orange glow in the distance. Alex
could see it too and said, "A fire."
 "Yea Alex, I see that."  Brian replied. That was when they
heard the fire siren go off.
 "I hear siren," Alex responded.
 "I hear it, too," Brian said,  "That's the fire department siren."
  Brian and Alex could hear the sound of feet hitting the floor
in both Dawn and Julie's and their parents' bedrooms.
 Dawn and Julie burst into the boys' bedroom with Dawn
the first to start with,  "Brian! What do you see? Is it a fire?"
"Yea," came the answer, "you can see the glow from here."
  All four children were gathered around the window to watch
the glow when Gary and Vera came in with Gary asking, "What's
going on?"
 "There's a fire not far from here," Brian answered, "Must have
something to do with that explosion we heard."
 "We heard it, too," Vera put in, "I think it woke all of us."
  Gary and Vera came over to see where the glow was and
when Gary and Vera noticed which direction it was, they
looked at each other with the look of  realization of how
blessed Julie and Alex were to be with them now.
 Fearing Julie and Alex might figure out where the fire was,
he said, "Okay, let's get back to bed. We have church
tomorrow and we have to get there early to pick up
everybody."
 Everyone went back to bed, the fire siren finally ceasing
its call to summon, but only to be followed by a multitude
of smaller sirens as the fire department raced to the scene
where the orange glow was.


This concludes Chapter 19.

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 18)

At Sunrise Trailer Park where Julie and Alex had been
living with their alcoholic mother, a white Nissan van
with a high-top roof and bearing the logos of  Speedi-
Van Home Delivery pulled into a trailer lot next to the
one Julie, Alex, and their mother had lived in. The van
pulled up next to a 2010 Ford Crown Vic with the two-
tone black and white colors of a police car though the
car bore no markings or roof lights to suggest that it
was still in use as a police vehicle.
 The van pulled in next to the Crown Vic then shut its
lights and engine off. The driver climbed out the driver's
side wearing the tan and green jacket and workclothes
of Speedi-Van. The driver apparently was returning
home after making his runs as he wasn't carrying
anything to suggest packages save for an Igloo lunchbox.
The driver walked past a tan mailbox which had on its sides
stickers with gold capital letters on a black background that
spelled out:

                    RALPH  MORGAN 
                           LOT TEN



As Ralph made his way to the front door of his trailer he turned
to look at the trailer where Julie, Alex and their mother had lived.
Ralph then said to himself, "Sure has been quiet since that woman
got arrested. I wonder what's happened to those two kids?"
 Ralph then turned to unlock the front door and made his way
inside his mobile home. When he turned on the living room light
he looked around his sparsely furnished home and thought to
himself, It's good to be home.
 Ralph removed his Speedi-Van ball cap and placed it on a
wooden hanger assembly mounted to the wall next to the front
door followed with his jacket. He then went into the tiny kitchen
and pulled a Diet Coke from the refrigerator. He then went back
to the tiny living room (Ralph lived in a 12x50 trailer) and settled
onto a futon mattress sofa that could also be unfolded to create
a bed as Ralph used the only bedroom in the small trailer as a
study.  There was no television set in the sparsely furnished
living room but there was a Bose Wave stereo that Ralph
liked to listen to whenever he decided to unwind.  He hated
what was on television these days and besides they took up to
much room. Ralph pulled a classical music CD and inserted it
in the Bose. He sat back down on the futon couch and relaxed
to the sounds of Tchaikovsky while sipping on his Diet Coke.
As the tune of Swan Lake came on, Ralph Morgan again
looked around his small living room and the modest furnishings
with a look of satisfaction and contentment. A smile came over
his face as he took in the Family Dollar bought coffee table,
three-tiered bookshelf and end tables with storage bins on
opposite ends of the futon couch which was the only piece of
furniture in the tiny living room. The Bose Wave stereo sat on
the middle tier of the bookshelf which also contained a few
books, a flameless candle fountain and a rustic metal display
piece of what looked like an early 1950s Ford tow truck with
the period Texaco oil company logos; the type of decor usually
sold at places like Hobby Lobby.
 Ralph looked to his left to the wall clock and saw it was 10:15pm.
 He had been working late but that was just fine with him. He had
neither a wife nor children to come home to and he never felt he
was good enough to pursue marriage and parenthood.
 At forty-six years of age and after moving from job to job had
decided to take a go at becoming an independent contract driver
for Speedi-Van. While it sure was a struggle starting out as he
knew nothing about starting a business, at least Speedi-Van
worked with him so he could purchase his own vehicle. Also
he had to supply his own medical/dental insurance which he
couldn't afford to do at first but through hard work, long hours
and a faith in God did finally get medical insurance and up to
a few months ago, his own mobile home.
 During a pause between tunes on his CD Ralph downed the last
of his Diet Coke then went to the kitchen sink to wash and rinse
the glass he drank out of and prepared to turn in.
 Ralph also knew that although he gave both God and himself praise
for what he had, he often felt alone in his recent accomplishment
because of pressure by family and those of the church he attended
to have done better sooner.  It was like he was made to feel the
oddball of family and congregation to live so modestly so late in
life.  It was like no one could understand why he was forty-six
years old, unmarried, working a modest income job and living
in a small mobile home. It was getting to the point where he
hated going to church. And being the only single man his age
that attended the church didn't help matters any. As of recent
he reduced church activity to just being an attendee, but all that
did was make him feel spiritually empty.
 "Why does everyone look down on me?" Ralph suddenly asked
while looking toward the ceiling, "I got everything I have because
I worked for it. Isn't that how it's supposed to be, Lord? I gave
you thanks and glory for it."  Ralph looked down at the floor then
up again and continued, "I realize it's not much but I worked for it
but all I get is pressure to be better than this. Is every guy my age
supposed to have been married with kids along with a house with
a white picket fence and two cars in the garage?  I thought the
Christian life wasn't all about that stuff but it seems as though it is."
 Ralph wish he hadn't thought about the outside pressures he
got as he went from feeling content to suddenly feeling dispirited.
Then as quick as it started his tension collapsed; he knew it was
futile to harp on it. As he leaned back against the kitchen sink he
heard a vehicle drive by out front and not really thinking about it
drew the curtain of the kitchen window back to get a look.
 The vehicle Ralph saw was a brown 1980s-era Chevy S-10
Blazer that pulled into the lot of the Hobbs woman.
 Strange, Ralph thought, There's no one living there now.
 Then Ralph was suddenly reminded also of a church bus
that came to that trailer every Sunday to pick up those kids.
He remembered the name of the church that was on the sides
of the bus:  NEWBERRY COMMUNITY CHURCH.
Maybe, Ralph thought, I should check that place out.
 Ralph then remembered something else; a man that was
on his delivery route mentioned being a member of that
church.  Yes, a guy named Mac Davenport,  he remembered.
Oh wait!  There was also on his route a family that had also
mentioned attending that church, the Canfields!
 Alright, Ralph thought, I'll try this church and see what it's
like.
 As Ralph started preparing to turn in he heard the S-10
at the Hobbs trailer start up and drive away. It sounded
to him to be driving away somewhat in a hurry.
 Ralph then pulled the front of the futon couch so that it
became flat to transform into a bed and after he did that
went to the bathroom for a shower, dental hygiene, and
shave.  Tchaikovsky was playing as Ralph went through
his end-of-the-evening routine. The routine took about
five minutes.

 Outside next door Ralph Morgan's trailer the neighboring
trailer of the Hobbs woman stood dark and silent when
all of a sudden it exploded; the explosion blowing out the
windows and doors and a portion of the roof.  The night
sky over the trailer park suddenly lit up in an orange glow.
The shock wave and debris from the explosion went out
like an expanding ring around Saturn to the trailers closest
to the blast with Ralph Morgan's trailer taking the brunt of
the impact. The window of the Hobbs trailer facing that of
the Morgan trailer spewed out heat and burning debris with
such force that the sidewall around the window as well as the
window itself blew inward like a fist punching trough thin
drywall.

Ralph Morgan was getting ready to turn in when suddenly
he heard an explosion just outside his mobile home that
rattled his teeth. A split-second later there was an even
closer and louder explosion right in front of him as the
window he stood in front of exploded toward him. To
Ralph all he felt was a sharp burning pain in his right
shoulder which he only felt for maybe another split-second
as another piece of debris, he couldn't tell what it was,
struck the side of his head. There was this blinding light, the
crash of a thousand bombs followed by total darkness.


This concludes Chapter Eighteen.

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 17)

Mac had returned to the house after feeding and
watering his rabbits and headed to the kitchen
to check back on Cornelius and Kato.  Cornelius
was lapping out of his large silver metal water bowl
as Kato strutted over to his own waterbowl.  Mac
knew he would have to take Cornelius out so as
to have his 'nature call.' When Cornelius stopped
drinking Mac walked over and took Cornelius by
his silver-studded black leather collar and lead him
out the back door in the kitchen and to his chain
that was connected to his doghouse. Mac then
patted the dog on the head and said to him, "Okay
big boy, do your thing." Mac then went back inside
and sat down at the kitchen table and chilled for
a bit.  As he sat, he began to think back on events
of recent. The thoughts actually came about after
Karen had phoned him. He began to reminisce
about the time he and Karen came across each
other when he was visiting the burial site of his
parents. It turned out that Karen was also there
visiting the burial site of her older brother.
 It was the meeting at Peaceful View Cemetery
that the relationship between Mac and Karen
began to go a step further.
 He recalled the moment when he was getting
ready to leave the burial site where his parents
were laid to rest and discovered that Karen had
been standing near him the whole time. He had
definitely not been expecting company and it
wasn't as if Karen had been tailing him.  Mac
knew when he suddenly saw Karen standing
there that this was a chance meeting.  Karen
just so happened to be visiting the burial site
of a deceased family member, too.  Mac
thought that she may have caught sight of him
as she was leaving the cemetery and decided
to come over and say hi.
 He began to recall how Karen had offered to
share her umbrella as the rain began to increase
and their conversation of her brother's death and
the date on which her brother, his parents, and
what could have been the date of her father's
death had Mac not intervened;  August 25th.
 Mac then realized the next step in the
relationship when after he and Karen left the
cemetery and headed to the Country Skillet
which Mac realized was an unexpected though
much welcomed, dinner date. And their first
date together, period.  It was there the
relationship began to take off.
 Mac was snapped out of his thoughts by
Cornelius' barking which meant he was
ready to come back in.  Mac then thought
as he headed out to bring the dog back in,
August the Twenty-Fifth was a date to
remember.


As Karen Williams lay on her bed she began
to think about the time she happened to see
Mac at Peaceful View Cemetery as she was
leaving the burial site where her older brother
lay.  Mac's here, too, she had thought when
she saw him standing over a monument which
she soon found out was of Mac's adoptive
parents. 
 Karen turned over and lay on her front and
cupped her chin in both hands and thought
about the chance meeting she had with Mac.
 Seeing him there had brought her comfort
as she had had a brief emotional moment as
she was turning to leave her brother's grave.
 As she had walked away she had brought
her hand to her face and began to sob softly.
As she slowly let her hand back down she
saw out of the corner of her eye a figure
standing maybe sixty feet away to her right.
She turned to glance at the man standing
over the mound and for some reason had
decided to move in for a closer look. She
thought she recognized the full head of
brown hair when the rain began to increase
which caused the man to put the hood of
the sweatshirt he was wearing over his head,
which now hid any recognition of him.
That had only made Karen move closer to
the man and at the same time forgetting
why she was doing it.
 Karen had suddenly thought to herself,  Oh
well, if this isn't who I think it is, I'll just say,
'I'm sorry, I thought you were someone I knew.'
But as Karen finally reached the site where the
man stood, he began to turn in her direction to
leave and then Karen and the man stood face
to face!  Karen thought excitedly, I was right!
It is Mac!
 Though Karen could tell Mac was glad to see
her she could tell he also looked a bit grieved,
much like she was some moments before.
 Karen then thought of the conversation they had
while sharing her umbrella with Mac and as they
both made their way through the pouring rain and
out of the cemetery, Mac invited Karen to have
dinner and that she had insisted they go as they were.
Mac had shown no objection to the idea as Karen's
parents were out on a dinner date of their own and
Mac had not eaten yet either. Karen thought back
on this and realized that that day was their first date
together.  It was so casual yet so unforgettable that
she couldn't get that day, let alone Mac, out of her
mind. The way things went that day that happened
to cause Karen and Mac to meet had to have
happened for a reason. Karen then rolled off her
bed and began praying once again., this time for
her and Mac:


"Lord, I can't help but think that the chance
meeting and my dad's accident was to bring
Mac and I together.  I never really felt this
strongly toward anyone before.  I believe it
was heading this way all along but I feel that
the meeting that Mac and I had at the cemetery
confirmed it. I mean Lord, I like him, I like him
a lot. And I have no doubt he likes me.  I can't
get him out of my mind, but Lord I am turning
our relationship over to you and ask that you
give both Mac and I wisdom and guidance if
you decide to allow us to continue in this 
relationship. I ask this of You in the name of
Jesus, Amen!"



Mac brought Cornelius back into the house and
then retreated to the living room to read the Bible
before heading to bed. Kato strolled in, hopped
into Mac's lap and settled there with Cornelius
following and settling in his place next to Mac's
chair.  Mac thought, animals are such good
company. But Mac then thought about the
relationship between he and Karen and the
meeting at the cemetery and the recent dinner
invitation he attended at the home of Karen
and her parents.  Mac looked up and thought
aloud, "Lord, is Karen the one?"
 Mac had been skeptical of relationships since
the suicidal death of his wife years ago.  His
marriage had been somewhat rocky even
before her death and it was his firefighting
accident and death of his firefighting career
that seemed to sound the death knell of their
marriage.  But everything that happened to
lead Mac and Karen's relationship to what
it has now become had to have happened
for a reason.  He really liked Karen, he had
no doubts there, but the question tormented
him, Was she the one?


Mac, looking down and seeing Kato on his lap,
decided to pray just as he was seeing he looked
so comfortable sleeping on his lap. Mac bowed
his head and prayed:

"Lord, is Karen really the gal you want me to
be with?  The way things have happened these
past few months have me believing that she is.
I mean, I really like this young lady, I really do.
She's made it clear that she likes me even though
she hasn't said it in words.  Lord, I am asking that
you give both Karen and I wisdom and guidance
if it be your will to let our relationship continue.
Not my will nor Karen's, but Your will be done in
Jesus' name, Amen."


This concludes Chapter Seventeen.