Read Online Silent Star by Tracie Peterson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tracie Peterson
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The star would remain blue—faded and washed out, but wonderfully blue. “I’m glad, Mr. McGovern. I’m so glad.”
“Martha!” Mr. McGovern called out. “Martha, come quick!”
His wife, a short, stocky woman, appeared at his side. She bit her lip and turned her gaze to her husband.
“He’s all right. He’s in the hospital.”
She broke into a sob, but these were tears of joy, and Andy felt almost blessed to have witnessed this tiny miracle. So often the doors were closed to him; he never saw the good along with the bad. How precious it was to be a part of the good. It bolstered him for what he knew was left to do that night.
“Andrew, come in and have some coffee with us. You must be freezing.”
Andy stood momentarily stunned. No one had ever extended such an invitation. “Ah, no thank you, Mr. McGovern. I’ve got another telegram to deliver.”
His former principal nodded. “I hope the news will be just as good as ours.”
Andy knew it wouldn’t be, but he said nothing. Nodding, he turned and walked down the steps. Twilight had settled on the town and soon it would be dark. There was only one telegram left. It was the one he’d been putting off.
Pulling it from his satchel, he looked down at the name.
Mrs. Kay Iseman
Word had come regarding Sammy. It was a first telegram, so it would only announce that he was missing in action. It seemed a sick, demented game that the government played with people. Folks would wait in agony for that second telegram—the final word. Andy figured the military folk already knew who was dead and who wasn’t, but by sending thefirst telegram they got folks ready for what was coming. The government might have thought it a rather merciful thing to do, but Andy just couldn’t reconcile it as such. He’d seen the anxious faces, known that people were watching and waiting. During the time between telegrams, their entire world stopped. How was that more merciful?
Andy walked with deliberate slowness to Mary Beth’s house. He could hardly stand to face her. She’d been so kind to him in the past, but now she’d no doubt feel the same as everyone else. She’d blame him for the bad news—maybe even believe her mother’s superstitious ideas. Maybe he believed them himself.
He made his way up to the large two-story house. Snow had been shoveled to the side, making deep drifts along the sidewalk. The lights shone from the front room window and reflected on the service banner in the window. Andy’s stomach tightened.
He knocked on the door, wishing he could have been anywhere else in the world but there. I’d rather be on the field of battle than here telling these good folks bad news. What will she think of me after this? How can she help but hate me like the others? Andy felt a deep regret for something that might have been . . . but now would surely be put to death.
Mary Beth opened the door. Her face lit up with a smile. “Andy!” Then she looked down and saw the envelope in his hand. “Oh no.” He saw the expression—the same one as all of the others. It was a mixture of fear, anxiety, and dread.
He looked at the envelope as well. “Is your sister-in-law home?”
“Kay! Mama!” she called out.
Andy looked up and saw there were tears streaming down Mary Beth’s face. He heard her whisper her brother’s name and it nearly broke his heart in two. He searched his soul for something to say—something to give comfort—but found nothing. How could he, the reason for her misery, also offer her consolation?
Kay was there first, with Mrs. Iseman close behind. They met Andy’s gaze with a look of disbelief and then of terror. Kay shook her head as Andy extended the telegram.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Mary Beth’s mother began screaming. “No! No! Not my boy!”
Mary Beth hurried to her mother’s side—never looking back at Andy—while Kay stoically gathered her wits, reached to take the telegram, and then closed the door.
Andy could
“Martha!” Mr. McGovern called out. “Martha, come quick!”
His wife, a short, stocky woman, appeared at his side. She bit her lip and turned her gaze to her husband.
“He’s all right. He’s in the hospital.”
She broke into a sob, but these were tears of joy, and Andy felt almost blessed to have witnessed this tiny miracle. So often the doors were closed to him; he never saw the good along with the bad. How precious it was to be a part of the good. It bolstered him for what he knew was left to do that night.
“Andrew, come in and have some coffee with us. You must be freezing.”
Andy stood momentarily stunned. No one had ever extended such an invitation. “Ah, no thank you, Mr. McGovern. I’ve got another telegram to deliver.”
His former principal nodded. “I hope the news will be just as good as ours.”
Andy knew it wouldn’t be, but he said nothing. Nodding, he turned and walked down the steps. Twilight had settled on the town and soon it would be dark. There was only one telegram left. It was the one he’d been putting off.
Pulling it from his satchel, he looked down at the name.
Mrs. Kay Iseman
Word had come regarding Sammy. It was a first telegram, so it would only announce that he was missing in action. It seemed a sick, demented game that the government played with people. Folks would wait in agony for that second telegram—the final word. Andy figured the military folk already knew who was dead and who wasn’t, but by sending thefirst telegram they got folks ready for what was coming. The government might have thought it a rather merciful thing to do, but Andy just couldn’t reconcile it as such. He’d seen the anxious faces, known that people were watching and waiting. During the time between telegrams, their entire world stopped. How was that more merciful?
Andy walked with deliberate slowness to Mary Beth’s house. He could hardly stand to face her. She’d been so kind to him in the past, but now she’d no doubt feel the same as everyone else. She’d blame him for the bad news—maybe even believe her mother’s superstitious ideas. Maybe he believed them himself.
He made his way up to the large two-story house. Snow had been shoveled to the side, making deep drifts along the sidewalk. The lights shone from the front room window and reflected on the service banner in the window. Andy’s stomach tightened.
He knocked on the door, wishing he could have been anywhere else in the world but there. I’d rather be on the field of battle than here telling these good folks bad news. What will she think of me after this? How can she help but hate me like the others? Andy felt a deep regret for something that might have been . . . but now would surely be put to death.
Mary Beth opened the door. Her face lit up with a smile. “Andy!” Then she looked down and saw the envelope in his hand. “Oh no.” He saw the expression—the same one as all of the others. It was a mixture of fear, anxiety, and dread.
He looked at the envelope as well. “Is your sister-in-law home?”
“Kay! Mama!” she called out.
Andy looked up and saw there were tears streaming down Mary Beth’s face. He heard her whisper her brother’s name and it nearly broke his heart in two. He searched his soul for something to say—something to give comfort—but found nothing. How could he, the reason for her misery, also offer her consolation?
Kay was there first, with Mrs. Iseman close behind. They met Andy’s gaze with a look of disbelief and then of terror. Kay shook her head as Andy extended the telegram.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Mary Beth’s mother began screaming. “No! No! Not my boy!”
Mary Beth hurried to her mother’s side—never looking back at Andy—while Kay stoically gathered her wits, reached to take the telegram, and then closed the door.
Andy could
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