Free Together is All We Need by Michael Phillips Page B

scandalized!
    It got quiet and everyone unconsciously looked toward Reverend Hall. He bowed his head and closed his eyes and we all did the same.
    â€˜â€˜Our Father,’’ he began to pray, ‘‘in the midst of the grief that these, your precious children, have endured, and the pain of death that has touched them so closely, we are thankful to you this day for your great love, which touches us even in the midst of life’s anguish. We thank you that you always bring life out of death, good out of failure, healing out of heartache. Though it is sometimes hard to see, you are a good Father, whose goodness to your children will always find a way to get into our lives if only we will look for it. So we thank you for the goodness you have brought to every life represented at this table. Death has touched us, but your goodness is always greater, and will always triumph. We give you thanks for the healing that is taking place between Aleta and Hank in the midst of their loss, and even guilt, for you will reunite them one day again with their beloved Sarah. Make their lives whole again in you. We give you thanks for the new life represented by little William, and pray for a bright future for him and his mama Emma. We thank you for what you have accomplished here at Rosewood between these dear ones to make them a family, and we now pray for your guidance and your will to be done with Rosewood, and in Kathleen’s life and Josepha’s and Mayme’s as this change in circumstance comes to them. May your will be done for us all, heavenly Father, and may we always give you thanks in our hearts for the goodness of that will. Amen.’’
    As we opened our eyes, I could see on Emma’s and Josepha’s face the same thing I felt in my heart—a quiet joy to have had a minister pray for us like that. It felt good knowing that people cared about me, like I knew everyone around this table did.
    And that God cared about us all too.

D EVASTATING N EWS
13
    T HE LAST PERSON WE’D HAVE EXPECTED, AND CERTAINLY the last person we’d have wanted to change our future was Mrs. Elfrida Hammond. But unfortunately she was the one who brought the terrible news to us.
    One day she rode up to Rosewood in her buggy. I think she was just looking for an excuse to come out to see the place ever since learning that Katie’s family was dead. The whole time she was there, which wasn’t long, she kept looking around like she was trying to see something strange that she might gossip about when she went back to town.
    Katie walked out to meet her.
    â€˜â€˜Hello, Mrs. Hammond,’’ said Katie, trying to sound friendly. Judging from the look on the woman’s face, Katie’s smile was lost on her. I walked over toward the buggy and she glanced my way with her hawk eyes. I had the feeling that she wanted to talk to Katie without me listening, but I didn’t want Katie to be in an awkward position and so I went right over and stood a few feet away. It was obvious that Mrs. Hammond was annoyed.
    â€˜â€˜I brought out a letter that came, Kathleen,’’ she said. ‘‘It arrived a while back, and since it was addressed to your mama, I thought I should wait and give it to her. But, of course, now. . .’’
    Katie waited. For a few seconds Mrs. Hammond just kept sitting there in her buggy.
    â€˜â€˜It’s from that Daniels fellow that was here,’’ she said after a bit.
    â€˜â€˜Uncle Templeton!’’ shrieked Katie. ‘‘Where is it . . . where’s the letter?’’
    â€˜â€˜I told you, I have it right here.’’
    â€˜â€˜Give it to me, then . . . please, Mrs. Hammond.’’
    â€˜â€˜But I told you—it’s addressed to your mother. So I—’’
    â€˜â€˜Mrs. Hammond,’’ interrupted Katie with as insistent a voice as I’d ever heard come out of her mouth. ‘‘You had