Pie Town - Lynne Hinton [114]
Oris stood at the sink in darkness and wondered if he could shave himself without watching. With one hand he touched his face, and with the other he slowly pulled the razor down. It was harder than he expected, and after the second cut, his chin burning, he stopped, wiped his face clean with the wet cloth he found in the sink, and dried his face off with the towel from around his shoulders. He then tried to make his way from the bathroom to the den. He felt around for his favorite chair, sat down, and waited.
He knew he had candles and a couple of lanterns, but for a few minutes, an hour even, he sat in darkness. He was a bit chilled, wearing only a towel, but except for the burning from the cuts on his face, he was not uncomfortable. He actually seemed to enjoy the darkness. He closed his eyes and leaned back.
He thought about the television show he had just watched. He thought about ghosts and haunted houses, and he thought about Alice and wondered if the darkness and the storm might bring her back to him, wondered if this might be the thing she needed to return. He wondered if a cover of darkness could bring her to him, if she had been waiting for just this occasion to visit.
Oris knew that it had been almost an entire year since his dead wife had visited him. He remembered how it had felt when her presence was suddenly and completely gone after Alex, his great-grandson, passed away. And since that death, that horrible and grievous death, there had been no sign, no communication, no vision of his beloved, but he didn’t care. Every night he waited and he hoped. And even though he sat that night in complete darkness, his face burning from the blind shave, his body wrapped in a towel, he could not give up believing that the light, his light, would one day, once again, come.
Acknowledgments
The gift of a story is always a blessing. I count those blessings with great awe and respect, believing that God is good and is the source of all the good stories in my life. Sally McMillan remains a presence of light and encouragement. How fabulous for me that my agent is also my treasured friend. The Louisville Institute awarded me a Pastoral Study Grant, which has enabled me to find the time to do research and the writing. Thank you for this gift of time and money. Carolyn Marino and Wendy Lee of HarperCollins said yes. Thank you, Wendy, for your keen eye and good heart. And thank you, Carolyn, for reading my stories.
In the year of finishing this book, I was so blessed to serve Chewelah United Church of Christ as their interim pastor. It was such a lovely place for me to land, and I will always remember my stay in the Pacific Northwest as a time of being hemmed in by mountains of kindness and friendship.
I am always grateful for the friends and family in my life. I hope that I have made sure that you know who you are and how rich my life is because you are in it. Finally, how does a person acknowledge the love of their life? Bob Branard remains the steady and sure heartbeat of my every day. There is nothing he doesn’t do to make sure I’m happy and whole and able to write. Surely, there is no greater gift in life than the love of a good partner.
About the Author
Lynne Hinton is the award-winning author of thirteen books including the Hope Springs series, featuring the national bestseller, Friendship Cake. She has also written a mystery series under the name Jackie Lynn. Lynne received degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, Lynne is available for speaking engagements and offers writing and spirituality retreats in New Mexico. You can contact her at www.lynnehinton.com. You can also find her on Facebook at Lynne Hinton Books. Lynne lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her husband, Bob Branard.
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