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.

Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 16)

Mac Davenport wheeled his old Ford 4x4 pickup

into the driveway of his home and was enthusiastically

greeted by his mastiff dog Cornelius and his Siamese
cat Kato. Mac immediately knew what they wanted.
 "Yes, lads, I know,"  he said to them as Cornelius
hopped with his forelegs and Kato rubbed against
Mac's calves, "you're hungry. I'm right on it."
 Mac had just returned from the dismantling the track
and getting the fellowship hall back to its original
arrangement with the help of Gary Canfield, Wilfred
Templar and a few other men of the church.  Mac
remained after everyone else left to check the church
and make sure it was secure before heading for home.
 Mac now had one more task to do and that was to
feed Cornelius, Kato and his rabbits.
 Mac undid Cornelius' chain and followed Mac to the
back door with Kato darting ahead and waiting by the
door ahead of Mac and Cornelius.
 "Kato,"  Mac chuckled, "you must learn patience."
   Mac and his 'lads,' as he sometimes calls his two
pets, entered into Mac's small home and Mac began
the task of feeding Cornelius and Kato.
 After he finished with Cornelius and Kato Mac was
getting ready to head back outside to feed the rabbits
when his cellphone rang. He pulled it from the case
he had clipped to his right side, opened it and answered
with, "Hello?"  It was Karen.
 "Yes, Karen?"



Karen Williams was in her room getting ready for bed
when she decided to call Mac.  She wanted to tell him
what a great night it was for everyone including her. It
was also about her concern for Julie Benson and Alex
Hobbs.
 She pressed Mac's cell number which she got from
a church directory which was given to new members
courtesy of Jenny Garrett of the Newberry Community
Church Welcome Ministry of which Mac Davenport
himself was minister.
 "Hi, Mac,"  Karen answered.
 She paused a moment, then answered with,  "I just
wanted to call and tell you what a great night it was
at the pinewood derby. Everyone really had a good
time tonight!"
 Pause.
 "Oh no. Not at all. I love church events like this."

 Pause.

 "Yes, there is. It's about those two kids; Julie and

Alex?"

 Pause.

 "How long will she be there?"

 Pause.
 "Well, anyway, I couldn't help but notice that Julie

seemed a bit preoccupied during the race."

 Pause.
 "I did.  I thought she looked a bit dismayed."

 Pause.

 "Oh, that's great. I'll check my email and I will

definitely pray for them and their mom, too!"

Pause.

"Okay, Mac. I'll see you Sunday! 'Bye!"

 Karen went over to her small desk across her room,

opened her laptop and checked her emails and sure

enough an email prayer request which was sent out

by Gary was on her list. After clicking on it and

reading it, she turned the laptop off, closed it then

went over to her bed, knelt down beside it and

began to pray for Julie, Alex, and their mom.  

Mac closed his cellphone and put it back in its

case and proceeded with the task of feeding the

rabbits.  Cornelius and Kato were still chowing

down on their meals as Mac headed back out.

This concludes Chapter 16.

Shelter From the Storm. (Chapter 15)

At the Canfield home Brian Canfield and Alex Hobbs were in their
room with Alex looking up and admiring his trophy he won at the
Newberry Community Church's pinewood derby. His pinecar
was next to it. They were both getting ready for bed. Brian saw
Alex looking up at the trophy, shook his head and just grinned.
 "Still admiring your trophy and car, Alex?" Brian asked.
 "Ya," Alex turned to look at Brian as he answered him.
 "I did the same thing when I won, too." Brian said as
he patted Alex on his shoulder, "It was a great night for me
as well."

 Over in Dawn and Julie's room Dawn and Julie were talking
about the pinewood derby as well.
 "Alex was so thrilled he won," Julie said of her little half-brother,
"that he clung to his trophy and car like they were his soul
possessions."
 "It was the first time he ever won anything is why."  Dawn
answered.
 "I know it is," Julie answered back, "We both never been to
something like that before."
 Dawn noticed that Julie started to get somewhat uneasy after
she just said what she said. Julie somewhat choked up when
she said the word 'before.' A sniffling sound followed and that
was when Dawn rushed to her side.
"Julie," Dawn exclaimed, "What's wrong?"
"I don't want to leave you ," Julie sobbed, "You've all been
so good to me and Alex and I don't want to leave."
 " You won't," Dawn replied, hugging her, "God has
brought you to us, remember?"
 "I know," Julie sniffled, "I-I thought about how nice it is
being with all of you and then what it was like back home."
 Julie buried her face on Dawn's shoulder and cried some
more.
 Gary and Vera were walking down the hallway to get ready
to turn in when they heard Julie's sobs as they approached
the door to Dawn and Julie's room. Vera was the first to
walk in followed by Gary.
 "Julie," Vera exclaimed as she came to her side, "What's
the trouble, honey?"
 Dawn answered first, "She says she doesn't want to
leave us."
 "You aren't," Vera said.
 "But what when Mommy gets out?"  Julie sobbed,  "She'll
come for us and take us away."
"She can't do that," Vera reassured her, "Children's services
won't allow her to."
 "They won't?" said Julie, looking up at Gary and Vera.
 "No, Julie," Gary put in, "It's a long story, but your mom
is going to be going through a lot, and she won't be able to
take you back, not for awhile, anyway."
 "Oh."
 "Gary," Vera said, looking toward her husband while she
held Julie to comfort her, "We need to all get together and
pray for the kids, their mom, and the outcome of all this
right now."
 "I'll get Brian and Alex,"  Gary replied and walked out of
the room and to Brian and Alex' room.
 Vera went to the dresser nearby and pulled a tissue from
a tissue box that sat atop it and wiped Julie's cheeks with
it and then said, "We're all going to pray for your mom and
this situation she is in and for you and Alex as well. God is
going to work this out, okay, honey?"
"Okay," Julie answered.
 Gary came back in with Brian and Alex and informed them
of the reason for the prayer gathering. Alex looked over to
his half-sister and noticed from the puffiness of her eyes and
the reddened cheeks that she had been crying. Alex then
immediately went over to her and hugged her. "Don't cry,
Julie," Alex said, "It be awright."
 "Yes, it will," Vera added and then everone in the room
held each others hands and Gary lead the family in prayer:


 "Oh heavenly Father, we all come together in Your
precious name and we pray for the situation that
Julie and Alex' mom is in and that you work this
situation according to your will. We also ask that
You protect her and watch over her and also for
your comfort and protection on Julie and Alex
while they are here in our care. We earnestly
pray that you work all this out for your glory.
In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen."


With the prayer concluded and some brief reassurances
from Gary and Vera, Julie and Alex turned in, followed
by Brian, Dawn, and their parents.  Vera bid the girls
good night before she turned and left the room and
then did the same with Brian and Alex as she and Gary
passed by their room.


 Outside the Canfield home and across the street opposite
their home a lone vehicle, a 1980s vintage Chevrolet S-10
Blazer in a dark brown paint scheme was parked by the
curb, its engine running. It stood there for maybe five minutes
sitting there at the curb as the driver, the sole occupant of
the old SUV, appeared to be looking in the direction of the
Canfield home. The driver's figure was obscurred by the
darkness outside save for a street lamp that was still burning
at the house at the right of the Canfields' which barely
silouetted the head of the driver. The outline suggested a male
with a ball cap. Five minutes had passed and the Blazer pulled
from the curve and drove off into the night.



This concludes Chapter fifteen.