Good
can be found anywhere, I said. There is none good but God and God is good all
the time. Yeah, I was saying in my mind, I can be just as cynical as you
Reverend Julian. Reverend Julian again took off his glasses, this time he held
them in his hands as he began to speak. Do you remember when you went overseas
to study ten years ago? He asked. Yes, when I was pursuing my Masters in
Population Health Management I had to live
in Central America for six months in
preparation for my thesis. Why? I asked. When you were away your grandmother became very
ill and your father sent for me to come and pray with her. It became a regular
occurrence and there were times when I was there three or four times per week.
There were times when your father had to leave us in the room alone due to
businesses that he had to attend to. These were the times when your grandmother
would ramble on and on about things that happened in the past. The Reverend put
on his glasses and adjusted it on his face. Your Grandmother said a lot of
things, one time your father came back and heard her talking to me and he
almost fainted at the things she was telling me. After he regained his
composure he admitted that she was speaking the truth and then he swore me to secrecy.
Why would he do that? I asked. My father had nothing to hide! He told me
everything that I ever needed to know! Yes said the Reverend, he told you
everything that you needed to know, but there are still a whole lot that you do
not know. Your Grandmother died soon after that, because you were studying
abroad your father advised you not to return for the funeral. He told me you
were not happy about not being able to attend the funeral. Yes, I said, I cried
for two weeks. Anyway, continued the Reverend, I gave your father my word that
I would keep his secret. It is now five years since he died and I have been
struggling with wanting to share his secret with you everyday. I know I gave
him my word that I would not tell anyone but based on certain circumstances and
changes in my life I believe that I should reveal your father’s secrets to you.
When he was on his deathbed I asked him if I should reveal them to you, he
looked at me and said, ‘only if you feel that the time is right and that my
daughter can handle it’. I open my eyes wide and gaped at him. What are you
trying to tell me Reverend? And why do you think the time is right now?
Suddenly I could feel my heart beating rapidly. He took off his glasses again,
wiped his eyes, replaced the glasses and said. Last week I was painting the
Vestry when I blacked out, it was the Caretaker who found me and took me to the
hospital. After the Doctor examined me and ran some tests, he told me that I
had suffered a stroke. The EKG results were not good and basically my heart was
failing. I gasped. Are you trying to say….I could not finish the words. Yes,
said the Reverend, I am dying, so I need to get this secret out of my heart. He
smiled and said that maybe it would give him a few more years. So may we go
back inside your home so that I tell you all that I need to tell you? Okay, I
said, just give me some time to put up the dogs. I’ll call you when I am done.
I came out of the vehicle, went and pulled the gate and went inside. The dogs
were boisterous and were in no mood to return to the kennel but with the help
of Maud we were able to get them inside. I told Maud to prepare something for
the Reverend to eat and I went outside to bring him in. To my shock and horror
the woman and her children were coming over to my gate with the Reverend
carrying the woman’s baby in his arms! For
the first time in my life I was feeling a threat to my border!
SadaBlue....
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