Bent Road - Lori Roy [54]
Evie reaches out to hug Ruth. “We’ll make brownies still?”
“Yes, sweet pea.”
Celia, now gripping only the very edge of Ruth’s sleeve between two fingers, says, “Arthur, please.”
Arthur says nothing else, and without even having to look at Ruth, he motions again for her to go.
Sitting with a rigid back, Celia turns away from Arthur. Ruth gives her a wink, stands and slips past Reesa. Once outside the pew, she wraps her frail arms around her waist, cinching her long coat closed, hiding her belly. All through the sanctuary, heads perk up. People shift in their seats, look from Ray to Ruth and back again as Ruth shuffles down the center aisle, her head lowered, her shoulders slouched forward. At the third pew from the front, she makes the sign of the cross and slips past Ray into her seat. As if she had been waiting for Ruth to be seated, the organist begins the hymn, calling them all to prayer. Ray drapes his right arm over the back of the pew and around Ruth’s tiny shoulders.
After the organ plays its final note and the congregation closes and puts away their hymnals, Father Flannery steps to the pulpit. “The Lord be with you,” he says.
“And also with you,” the congregation responds in unison.
Several rows up, Ray is speaking the words along with the rest of the congregation, loudly, probably so that everyone can hear.
“My brothers and sisters,” Father Flannery says. “To prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.”
Celia doesn’t look at Arthur, but listens for his voice. She hears every breath he takes, but he doesn’t respond along with the others. “Lord have mercy,” they all say.
Arthur is silent.
“Christ have mercy.”
He says nothing. Even Daniel knows the words. He speaks them quietly.
“Let us pray,” Father Flannery says, and Celia bows her head as he delivers the opening prayer.
“Amen,” trickles across the church.
Arthur is silent.
Through the first and second reading, Celia watches Ruth and Ray, waiting for Ray to move or stand or take Ruth away. He doesn’t. He sits motionless, his arm draped around Ruth, and as Father Flannery begins his homily, Ray slouches in the pew, pulling Ruth closer. A few seats down from Celia, Evie squirms, and Reesa quiets her by placing a hand in her lap. Next to Celia, Daniel slides down in his seat, settling in, probably tired from his sleepover at Ian’s. Arthur sits straight, his feet planted squarely on the ground, his hands buckled into fists that rest on his thighs.
Finally, signaling that the end of mass is near, Father Flannery raises the host and breaks it. Several rows ahead, Ruth and Ray stand in tandem with Mary and Orville Robison, file out of the pew and walk to the front of the church. The other parishioners fall back and away from the awkward foursome, leaving a gaping hole in the procession. Orville holds Mary by the arm, helping her to walk, steadying her.
One by one, the parishioners step forward to receive the Eucharist, all the while keeping their distance. Celia stands to follow Reesa and Elaine. She pauses, waiting her turn, watching as Ruth steps up to Father Flannery, her head lowered, her hands cupped to receive communion. Though she can’t hear them from the back of the church, Celia knows what they are saying.
“The body of Christ,” Father Flannery will say, and Ruth will respond, “Amen.”
Father Flannery lays the host in Ruth’s hands. She places it on her tongue, bows to him and, with her head still lowered, she begins to follow the procession back to her seat. But before she can take a step, Father Flannery raises a hand, stopping her. He cups her chin in his palm, raises her face toward his, and smiles down at her. Ruth lifts her eyes to Father Flannery. Slowly, gazing down on her kindly, Father Flannery turns Ruth’s head to show her profile to the congregation. Then he presses a thumb to her mouth and wipes away her pink lipstick.
Celia grabs onto the back of the nearest pew. Elaine stops.
“Mother,”