Read Online Prayers of Agnes Sparrow by Joyce Magnin - Free Book Online Page A

before you knew it, he was off and running, spouting hellfire and damnation as we polished off the cherry cobbler. The Pastor Speedwell who attended church functions was different from the pastor we saw in the pulpit on Sunday. At church functions, Pastor had an easier time letting his hair down. He spoke more from his heart than his notes.
    “You know,” Ruth said, “Hezekiah is such a quiet man and still a stranger. We wouldn’t want to give him the wrong impression.”
    Before I could speak, Zeb turned up the TV as loud as it went. “Here comes Phil,” he said.
    All ears turned toward the TV as the official groundhog handler, who wore a top hat and tails, pulled Phil from his stump. A few seconds later the president of the Groundhog Inner Circle read Phil's prediction. “Six more weeks of winter, there will be.”
    A series of mock groans of disappointment rang out.
    I took hold of Ruth's hand. “You know what? Just ask him yourself,” I said. “We don’t need Agnes to do everything.There's nothing indecent about you asking him. I’m sure he’ll be delighted to come.”
    Ruth seemed pleased and maybe a trifle too excited but she was entitled. It had been a long time since anyone new came to church. Ruth was the official membership coordinator, a duty she discharged with great seriousness. Getting Hezekiah to join the church would be quite a feather in her cap.
    Studebaker moved toward me as the crowd started to thin out.
    “Griselda, I’m glad you’re here. I have something to tell Agnes. Think I could stop by this morning, or does she have other visitations?”
    “I’m not certain, Stu. I left without asking her if she had any appointments this morning.” The protective side of me emerged. “Is there a message I could give her? I’m heading back to the house for a little while. I could save you the bother.”
    Studebaker's eyes widened. He moved close to me, and I could smell coffee on his breath—that nutty, leftover odor. “It's no bother, Griselda. I’ll just follow you back. That way you both can hear my news.”
    “What news, Stu? Don’t tell me the sign is finished already.”
    “Almost. But I want to talk to her about the statue.”
    My stomach tightened. “You still going through with that cockamamie idea?”
    “It's not cockamamie. I got Filby Pruett all signed up to get started. He’ll need to take some pictures—”
    Hezekiah interrupted us. He had a way of appearing and disappearing. He looked good. His hair was growing back, he was clean-shaven, and I thought Vidalia's home cooking was responsible for the sparkle in his eyes. “Are you going back to the house?” he asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Great. Mind if I grab a ride? It's really cold out there.”
    I’m sure the temperature was still below freezing, but that wasn’t unusual for early February. “Sure, Hezekiah, I’ll give you a lift.”
    “I’ll meet you there,” Stu said. “Agnes won’t mind me barging in on her.”
    My old Ford pick-up complained, but she started and we were back at the house in a few minutes. Stu pulled up behind us in his baby blue Caddy.
    “I’ll go on in and see what Agnes has planned for me today,” Hezekiah said.
    He walked ahead of me while I waited for Stu to catch up. Hezekiah was inside the house before Stu and I even took three steps. Hezekiah told me he didn’t like the frosty mountain air.
    “He's a nice guy, ain’t he,” Stu said.
    “Hezekiah? Yeah, he's a good egg, I suppose.”
    I opened the door and nearly fell over Hezekiah who was standing in the entryway.
    “Shh,” he said. “I think she's praying.”
    I took a few steps into the house and listened. Sure enough, Agnes was deep in prayer for someone. I heard a cough, and I could tell it wasn’t Agnes.
    “She's in there with someone,” I whispered. “We should just wait until she's finished.”
    The three of us stood like statues.
    “You can come in now,” Agnes called after a minute or so.
    She was with Cora