Free A Husband for All Seasons by Irene Brand Page A

reason he didn’t want to be around others—even his parents. He couldn’t stand to have people feeling sorry for him. Was that why he was shutting everyone out? He had never been ill—never had been in a situation where he was an object of pity.
    Even if he had analyzed his hang-ups about his injury, he still wasn’t ready to become a public figure again. It was ten o’clock by the time they finished eating and had put away the dinner dishes. Grace wrapped the leftover pizza in aluminum foil and put a plastic cover over the pie.
    â€œI’ll leave this for you for tomorrow,” she said. “I’m going home now. I don’t keep late hours like you young people. Just give me a call when I can help again. It’s kinda nice to have young people in the house. My daughter hasn’t lived at home since she graduated from OSU. She married and moved to Texas. I only see her once or twice a year.”
    She left the room and closed the hall door behind her, so Vicky knew that she and Chad had passed muster with his landlady. Chad dropped his super genial air almost as soon as Grace left the room. He motioned Vicky to the couch and he sat in the lounge chair and pulled the lever to lift his feet. He looked tired and he made no effort to hide it from her.
    â€œGrace turned out to be a very nice person after all.”
    Chad nodded. “For several hours, I forgot that my life had changed at all. You and Grace are good for me. I’mhealing, but I’m not ready yet to see many people. Could you suggest a place where I could be alone for a couple of weeks? Maybe a state park where I could camp and no one would know me?”
    â€œWe have several nice parks not far from Columbus. But you’ve been in the news a lot the past month. Your picture, as well as clips from your football games, have been on local TV. If you want to avoid people, you may need to conceal your real name.”
    â€œYou’re probably right.” He motioned to his mail. “Some of those letters are from people who want to make a movie about my life or publish a biography. Several are job offers. And a manufacturer of football equipment wants me to sponsor their products. I had supposed that I would be a ‘has-been,’ but it looks as if my injury has made me a hero. I don’t know how to deal with it. Does it seem odd that I want to be alone?”
    â€œNot to me, it doesn’t. I have to work tomorrow, but let’s plan to check out some of the recreation areas and parks nearby on Sunday afternoon.”
    â€œThat suits me.”
    â€œWill you go to church with me Sunday morning?” She asked hesitantly.
    He paused for several minutes before responding, “Yes, I will.”
    â€œIf you’re willing to face a congregation of believers, you’ve passed your first hurdle,” she assured him with a tremulous smile.
    Chad drove Vicky home and walked up the steps with her. At her apartment door, he said, “What time should I pick you up Sunday?”
    â€œIf we go to the early service, it won’t be so crowded. Pick me up at nine o’clock so we can make the 9:30 service.”
    He bent forward and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Thanks for today.”
    Chad thought he would be ready for sleep after such a strenuous day and he went to bed as soon as he returned to the apartment. But he couldn’t fall asleep, and after an hour of turning from one side to the other, he sat up in bed and piled pillows behind his back. He turned on the television, but none of the shows interested him. He was tempted to call Lorene and Perry. With the three-hour time difference, they wouldn’t be in bed yet. He should at least check to see if Perry was still doing all right, but until he could regain some semblance of his “old” self, he didn’t want to talk to them.
    He heard an occasional car travel along Neil Avenue, and he got out of bed and walked