As soon as they were alone, Greg’s frustration poured out. “No disrespect here, Father, but what the hell were you thinking? The park pack? Really?”
“The boy believes what he believes.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean we all need to follow him down the rabbit hole. There’s already some seriously confusing shit going on.”
Gabriel almost said, “Spend a day in my head.” Instead he said, “I’m not prepared to dismiss what Andy believes. I would give him the benefit of my doubts.”
“I don’t have that luxury. I got a hundred lives depending on my doubts.”
“We’re the only real human family that kid has left. You can see how important this is to him… how important it is that we trust him. This is what families do for each other. I don’t want to even think about what might happen if he is abandoned again.” That was a low blow, and Gabriel knew it. He would repent for it later… if he remembered. “Why don’t we ask Sam?”
“Tried that. The knucklehead gave her phone to her father. She’s got Beth’s phone and we don’t have that number.”
“Her father? He’s here? But they haven’t spoken in years.”
“Yeah, I know. Long story. Like I said, seriously confusing shit.”
“I think Luke believes Andy. I’m sure he would help.”
“And that’s supposed to encourage me? Luke is still trying to find heaven through a computer program. You’re all nuts.”
“We know what Sam would do, don’t we?” Nick had once been a stray, as had so many others who now were neighborhood family dogs. “Sam would at least try to figure out a way and go down swinging.”
Greg shut his eyes for a long moment. “I’m really not happy with you right now.” When he opened them, he said, “OK, no promises. You two figure out a plan. If I think it can work without bringing the walls down on us, we can give it a try. If not, then you’re gonna need to drop this.”
“Thank you,” Gabriel said.
“You know you’ll need at least another pair of hands to have any shot, right?”
“I have a pair in mind.”
“Was afraid of that. And when this is all over, you, me, and Sam are going to need to talk about the boy. We’re not doing him any favors pretending he’s OK.”
Gabriel nodded. He knew that Greg was right, but he also knew that youthful faith was a delicate thing and did not respond well to the blunt and inelegant fingers of those probing for reason.
An hour later Gabriel and Eliot stood alone in the middle aisle of the church nave. The priest tossed a small stone in the air, measuring its weight as he stared at the intact section of the stained glass window of Abraham and Isaac. He was about to take aim when Sid entered and took a seat in one of the nearby pews. Eliot trotted over and gave Sid a warm greeting of wet licks on his hand.
“I got your message,” Sid said.
“Rounding up living creatures and shooting them because we’re afraid? What do you think?”
“There will be issues. Lots of issues. Our neighborhood may never recover if we are wrong.”
“No doubt. But there always are issues,” Sid answered.
“All the more reason to tread carefully,” Gabriel cautioned. “You don’t have to.”
“Actually, I think I do.”
“How’s that?”
“You know what Channa would say: ‘Good thoughts are nice, but love requires action. You need to just do.’”
“You sound like a Jewish Nike commercial,” Gabriel said.
“You got a plan?”
“Not even a glimmer.”
“The others?” Sid asked.
Gabriel shook his head.
“Well then, I can see why you’re so enthusiastic. Let’s get some paper and pens.”
“Why?” Gabriel asked.
“A map,” Sid said. “All good plans start with a map.”
With one final glance at the broken image of Abraham, Gabriel slipped the stone into his pocket and mumbled an Our Father.
“A prayer for our success?” Sid asked.
“No. For different cells when we get popped.”