Chapter 18:

Meadows’
Grocery — Your Friendly
Neighborhood Store — 2002

Sure, so very friendly, Gracie thought as she pulled up in front of the only grocery store in town and once again read the big sign that hung above the huge windows facing the highway:

Meadows’ Grocery—Your Friendly
Neighborhood Store

From inside the store, BevAnn—blue knit pantsuit on, matching heals, perfect hair, and flawless makeup—watched Gracie get out of her Jeep. Directly behind Maggie Barton’s daughter, across the highway, was an empty lot where the old gas station was in the late 1960s until it was torn down in the early eighties. The thought of what happened that day still brought back hurtful memories.

“Hey, Miss LeMaster.”

“Hello, Harper. Where’s Miss Patsy today?” She said as she steered her grocery cart past the store’s office and didn’t see her friend.

“She’s down with the flu. She hasn’t been in for a while.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ll have to make her some chicken soup.”

“Harper, don’t you have something to do?” BevAnn demanded of the stock boy.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Harper said as he grinned at Gracie and went about his business.”

BevAnn looked past Gracie as if she wasn’t there as she walked on, but that was the usual routine in Meadows’ Grocery unless Miss Patsy was there for a quick, friendly chat.

“Good for the body and good for the soul, I’m told,” someone said in a deep male voice while leaning over her shoulder.

“Ian! We’ve been expecting you. Dr. Barnes told us you were taking over his practice. How are you? It’s good to see you.” Gracie blushed when she saw him. She always felt tongue-tied and awkward around this handsome middle-aged doctor. He wrapped both his arms around her and gave her a big hug.

“I’m good. Yourself?” He was a tall, slender man with dark hair and hazel eyes shadowed by glasses. “It’s good to see you, Gracie.”

“I’m doing okay.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say as she tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled at him. She noticed his hair and mustache had gotten a little whiter since she had seen him last. He looked very distinguished and smelled of cologne and leather.

“Hey, you’re just the person I needed to see.”

“Oh, really? Why’s that?”

“I need some help getting my computer set up and my programs loaded for my practice. Think you’d have the time? I pay good.”

“Let’s barter,” she said to him, somewhat bolder than she meant to.

“What do you have in mind?” he asked her teasingly. Gracie blushed again.

“How about some free office visits for my kids, maybe?”

“Oh, hello, pastor.” Ian recognized Pastor Al as he unexpectedly walked past with his grocery cart.

“Good afternoon, doctor,” the young minister answered and smiled.

“Hello, Pastor Al,” Gracie added cordially, but he passed her without acknowledging her greeting. When he ran into BevAnn an aisle ahead, they whispered and glanced back at her.

Gracie reddened even more from humiliation.

“I can sure do that. Can you start Wednesday? Gracie, can you come in Wednesday?”

“Yes, I can.” Gracie was glad to resume her conversation with a trusted friend.

“Ten o’clock?”

“Ten o’clock. I’ll be there.”

Gracie brought her groceries home along with an extra large pepperoni pizza from the Pizza Stone, which was next door to Meadows’ Grocery. Her emotions were mixed. Seeing Ian again brought joy to her heart, but she was stunned by the rudeness of Pastor Al. His discourtesy to her warranted an explanation. She would have to call him.

J.T. brought Dinky home, stayed for pizza, a kid’s movie, and then carried his little nephew to bed. Elizabeth followed them upstairs and said goodnight. The wind had kicked up and was howling through Spirit Creek Farm like a banshee when Gracie saw J.T. out the backdoor to go to the bunkhouse.

“Listen, Gracie. Do you hear it?” J.T. asked her as he stepped outside.

“Oh, I do. Are you washed in the blood, in the soul-cleansing blood of the lamb? I hear it.” Gracie recognized the tune the soft violin played as it intertwined with the night wind.

“Where in the world is that coming from?”

“Old Jacob Barton, when the Civil War was startin’…” Gracie said as she grinned and patted her brother goodnight. He put his hood over his head, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and headed for the bunkhouse laughing.

In the quiet of Apple Muffin Cottage’s kitchen, Gracie found herself very troubled after J.T. left. For the first time in a long time, she found herself missing Ben. She knew Elizabeth missed him more than she liked to admit, but they couldn’t seem to talk about it. What would he think if he knew she was having feelings for Ian?

Dinky’s and Viney’s health both worried her. She didn’t dare tell her sister anything about their mother right now. Her sweet friend, Miss Patsy, was sick. Pastor Al and BevAnn hated her for some reason. Then, there was the mysterious person haunting Spirit Creek Farm with soul-tugging hymns from their pasts.

“Oh, Father God, help me tonight,” she said as she prayed at the kitchen table like Grammy always did. She picked up her Bible, and it fell open to Luke 10:41:

“…Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things.”

It comforted her to know that the Lord heard her prayer, knew her heart and what was on her mind tonight. Yes, many things, Lord.

Surprisingly, when she checked her emails before going to bed, there was one new message, and it was from Maggie O. Gracie hesitated to open this Pandora’s Box.

Gracie,

Why seek ye the living among the dead?

Maggie O

Gracie was staggered, and her heart was gripped with compassion for her mother as she read the words from the 24th chapter of Luke.