are.
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect.
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you.
For an interval.
Somewhere. Very near.
Just around the corner.
All is well.
At 6:15, the service was over and the priest informed the congregation that there would be a receiving line. Quickly, I rose from my pew and stood at the front of the queue that was quickly building up. When it came to my turn to pay my respects, I walked up to Amanda and was surprised to find Carter exchanging words with her.
“Thank you,” said Amanda, clasping his hand, “for the lovely flowers you sent to my home.”
“It’s from all of us,” Carter said kindly. “Everyone at the office sends their deepest sympathies.”
“Ahem,” I cleared my throat and smiled. “I’m here too, on behalf of everyone at work.”
“Karsynn.” Amanda’s voice was warm and lilting. “I’ve been meaning to thank you for all those groceries you dropped off the other day.”
From the look on Carter’s face, he was just as surprised to see me.
I reached in and gave Amanda a hug. “I’m always around if you need anything.”
“Oh Kars.” She hugged me back so hard I thought I might not live to see tomorrow. “You’ve offered your support from day one. That alone is a gift. Thank you.” Amanda stepped back and looked from me to Carter. “And thank you both for coming. I wasn’t expecting anyone from work to show up.”
“We’re all thinking of you, Amanda,” I said meaningfully.
“We are,” Carter added in a gentle voice. “You’re not alone in this.”
She smiled briefly in acknowledgement. “I know. But all this . . . it just seems so foreign.”
“Yes, I’m sure it does.” The way Carter said it, it was soft and sad at the same time.
Amanda began laughing somewhat ruefully. “I seem to be consoling people who have come to console me. But don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not complaining.” She glanced over my shoulder, taking in the long line that stretched all the way to the back of the church. “It warms my heart to see how many people love and care about Ben.”
I nodded solemnly and was on the verge of conveying my heartfelt sympathies when Carter cut in, “Right.” He squeezed my elbow slightly. “Karsynn and I shouldn’t keep you. Take care, Amanda, and please take all the time you need.”
I was able to give Amanda a quick hug before I was unceremoniously dragged away by an impatient Carter.
I stepped outside into a heat wave and took refuge under an awning. Leaning against the cool concrete wall, I lit a cigarette and closed my eyes, just for a second. Halfway through my infinitely relaxing cigarette, Carter strode out of the church, looking as if he’d just stepped off the pages of GQ.
So there he was.
After our brief encounter back in the church, I had been surreptitiously tracking his presence. He had moved through the crowd, maintaining a safe distance from me. And then I had lost him. But here he was again.
I hated to admit it, but he cut a fine figure in a black suit. As the wind tugged softly at his brown hair, Carter caught my gaze and I found myself coldly scrutinized.
Whoa! His eyes could skewer a person at a hundred paces.
Why was he always so mad? Mostly everyone at work was terrified of him and as far as I knew, no one had ever seen him smile. Although, with Amanda back there, I did see a brief glimpse of kindness. He was charming, even. Nonetheless, it was
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect.
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you.
For an interval.
Somewhere. Very near.
Just around the corner.
All is well.
At 6:15, the service was over and the priest informed the congregation that there would be a receiving line. Quickly, I rose from my pew and stood at the front of the queue that was quickly building up. When it came to my turn to pay my respects, I walked up to Amanda and was surprised to find Carter exchanging words with her.
“Thank you,” said Amanda, clasping his hand, “for the lovely flowers you sent to my home.”
“It’s from all of us,” Carter said kindly. “Everyone at the office sends their deepest sympathies.”
“Ahem,” I cleared my throat and smiled. “I’m here too, on behalf of everyone at work.”
“Karsynn.” Amanda’s voice was warm and lilting. “I’ve been meaning to thank you for all those groceries you dropped off the other day.”
From the look on Carter’s face, he was just as surprised to see me.
I reached in and gave Amanda a hug. “I’m always around if you need anything.”
“Oh Kars.” She hugged me back so hard I thought I might not live to see tomorrow. “You’ve offered your support from day one. That alone is a gift. Thank you.” Amanda stepped back and looked from me to Carter. “And thank you both for coming. I wasn’t expecting anyone from work to show up.”
“We’re all thinking of you, Amanda,” I said meaningfully.
“We are,” Carter added in a gentle voice. “You’re not alone in this.”
She smiled briefly in acknowledgement. “I know. But all this . . . it just seems so foreign.”
“Yes, I’m sure it does.” The way Carter said it, it was soft and sad at the same time.
Amanda began laughing somewhat ruefully. “I seem to be consoling people who have come to console me. But don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not complaining.” She glanced over my shoulder, taking in the long line that stretched all the way to the back of the church. “It warms my heart to see how many people love and care about Ben.”
I nodded solemnly and was on the verge of conveying my heartfelt sympathies when Carter cut in, “Right.” He squeezed my elbow slightly. “Karsynn and I shouldn’t keep you. Take care, Amanda, and please take all the time you need.”
I was able to give Amanda a quick hug before I was unceremoniously dragged away by an impatient Carter.
I stepped outside into a heat wave and took refuge under an awning. Leaning against the cool concrete wall, I lit a cigarette and closed my eyes, just for a second. Halfway through my infinitely relaxing cigarette, Carter strode out of the church, looking as if he’d just stepped off the pages of GQ.
So there he was.
After our brief encounter back in the church, I had been surreptitiously tracking his presence. He had moved through the crowd, maintaining a safe distance from me. And then I had lost him. But here he was again.
I hated to admit it, but he cut a fine figure in a black suit. As the wind tugged softly at his brown hair, Carter caught my gaze and I found myself coldly scrutinized.
Whoa! His eyes could skewer a person at a hundred paces.
Why was he always so mad? Mostly everyone at work was terrified of him and as far as I knew, no one had ever seen him smile. Although, with Amanda back there, I did see a brief glimpse of kindness. He was charming, even. Nonetheless, it was
Similar Books
