Free Sweet Reunion by Melanie Shawn Page A

and clapped Justin
heartily on the back. “Mr. Jenkins, I think you can see what our problem is
here.”
    Mr. Jenkins nodded solemnly.
“I do. Amanda, your father was so loved in this community, and we are all
feeling his loss, although I know it must be nothing compared to what you are
going through. But I do hope that all of these people will get some kind of
chance to say goodbye to Parker, even if they can't all fit inside the church.”
    Justin nodded, “That's where
I'm hoping you can help us out, Mr. Jenkins. Would we be able to use the gym to
hold the memorial service?”
    Geoffrey snorted derisively.
“A gymnasium for a memorial service? That's hardly proper. Although typical for
what I've seen the past two days, so by all means, please, proceed.”
    Mr. Jenkins shook his head
with regret. “Well, Justin, I don't think that's going to work. Although not
for the reason that this gentleman here objects to it for. I just don't think
even the gym would be enough to hold all these folks.”
    Justin looked deflated. Then
he suddenly brightened. “How about the football field? It's a beautiful day,
the weather's not an issue. And the bleachers in the football field were built
to be able to hold pretty near the entire town, plus the visitors side.”
    Mr. Jenkins had started
nodding his head vigorously before Justin had even finished talking. “Yes,
perfect,” he said decisively, “I'm going to go open up the gates and get the
sound system turned on. I'll round up some students to haul out the portable
platform we use for graduation and set it up in the middle of the field.
Justin, you and Pastor Harrison take care of getting the crowd moving toward
the field. Give us about a ten minute head start. The good thing is that the
school is only three blocks away, so people can walk it easily, even in their
fancy clothes. There won't be a traffic jam.”
    Justin stopped the principal
when he saw tears streaming down Amanda's face. “Wait,” he said, concern
filling his voice, “Amanda, is this not OK with you? Do you just want your Dad
to have a proper church memorial, even if it's small? We'll do whatever you
want to do.”
    Amanda smiled through her
tears, “No! No, that's not it at all!” she said, “It's completely perfect. I
actually got choked up because it is so perfect, as a matter of fact. There are
two things in this life that my father really and truly loved, and those were
these mountains, and the people that live in them. So, to have an outdoor
memorial, filled with pretty much everyone in town? You couldn't create a more
perfect scenario for my Dad.
    “In fact,” she laughed
softly, “it wouldn't surprise me to think that he actually did arrange this
from the other side.”
    --- ~ ---
    The transition from the
church to the football field was quicker and smoother than Amanda could have
ever imagined. By 11 am, just one short hour after the service had been slated
to begin, Pastor Harrison climbed the steps to the portable platform that had
been set up in the middle of the football field and took the microphone from
its stand to begin the service. Amanda looked around and couldn't believe her
eyes. The stadium was full. That meant that nearly the entire town of 5,000
souls must have come out to say goodbye to Parker Jacobs. She was astounded.
    Of course, she had known
that the townspeople loved him. He had been elected Mayor every time he had
run, by a huge majority. It was impossible to go out to a meal in any
restaurant in Hope Falls without people constantly stopping by the table to
thank him for something, or share some bit of news, or show off photos of a new
grandbaby. She had known the town loved him. She just hadn't known how much.
    As Pastor Harrison opened
the memorial service with a prayer, she heard his voice hitching. Yes, she
realized, even he must be having a hard time today. He and her father had been
quite close. She wondered if there was even one person in town that her
father's