FAITH, HOPE, CHARITY

by

CQB

CHAPTER 3

THE CHAPTERS

INTRO

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

She whispered…

“Jesus I won’t ask you for a Christmas tree,

With shiny tinsel, silvery and gold;

All I ask this Christmas, that You find for Mom and me,

A friendly house to keep away the cold…*

* * *

“I’m sure you heard the speech Sister Margaret gives to all the newcomers,” Father Minnetti said, after listening to Joe’s plan.  Frank had suggested they tell the Father, and get his advice.

“Our mother is aware of the risks, Father,” Frank interjected.  “You see, sir, she works for the Red Cross.  She has had to deal with situations like this before.  She will get some things we’ll need.”

“When I called our parents, they didn’t even hesitate,” Joe added.  “Mom is taking care of everything.”

Father Minnetti studied the two young men that sat before him.  He smiled and shook his head.  “You two are everything that Tony and Mrs. Prito said you were.  Let’s go find Martha and Mary, shall we?”

When they made their way back down to the fellowship hall in the basement, the trio discovered that most of the ‘regulars’ had made their way up to the sleeping quarters in the parsonage.

“Sister Margaret,” Father Minnetti called out to the nun as she was locking up the kitchen.

“Yes Father?”

“Did you see Martha and Mary?  Did they join the others upstairs?” the priest asked.

“No Father,” the nun shook her head sadly.  “I asked them to stay, but you know how Martha is.  She is just so afraid of losing that child.”

“We’ve got to find them,” Joe said urgently.

“Son, I’m afraid I have no idea where they’re sleeping.  They could be anywhere by now,” Father Minnetti replied.

“We’ll help you look,” Tony chimed in, hearing the conversation as he, his mother and Chet joined the group.  He glanced at his mother, who nodded her consent.

“Me too,” Chet added, giving the Hardy boys a thumbs up.  “They can’t be too far.  They only left a few minutes ago.”

“Add me to your search, too,” came another voice.  The newcomer was Blake Ford, Father Minnetti’s young assistant.  Blake gave the group a warm smile before his eyes settled on Joe.  “Little Mary has stolen my heart, too.”

“Dude,” Joe shook hands with the young man.

“Father,” Blake addressed the priest, “Sister Anne is getting everyone settled in upstairs. She has Sister Elizabeth and Sister Deborah helping her.

“So who is my partner?”  Blake asked. 

Chet paired up with Blake and headed off toward the east, down by the old train station. Father Minnetti and Sister Margaret, knowing the mission was left in good hands, went down the street toward the small shopping center.  Tony and his mother set out along the main street in front of the church, checking the abandoned storefront doorways where the homeless often slept.  Frank and Joe went behind the church into the alley where Joe had seen the child run earlier.  Beyond the alley were the railroad tracks and a large, run-down building.

* * *

The young woman held tightly to the child’s hand as the walked quickly to the place they called “home”.

“Mama?” the child looked up at her mother’s pretty face.

“Yes, my angel?”

“Why can’t we stay at the mission?”

Rachel Woods looked down into her daughter’s bright hazel eyes.  Her heart broke as she watched the child shiver against the cold December wind.  “We, um, couldn’t sweetheart.  We can’t stay there.  It wouldn’t be…safe.”

The little girl tugged her cap down over her cold ears.  She didn’t understand why it wouldn’t be safe for them at the mission, but Faith trusted her mama.

Rachel bit her lip and wished she could give her daughter a real Christmas this year.  She let her fingers caress the bag of ham Sister Margaret had given her and the crisp dollar she had saved for Faith’s Christmas gift.

She sighed and gripped her daughter’s hand tighter. 

* * *

Chet and Blake found several groups of homeless near the old train station.  Each group was hesitant to speak to the boys, but finally they came across an old woman who was eager to chat.

“A young woman and child, you say?” the woman tugged at her straggly white hair.

“Yes, a woman and a little girl of about six or seven years old,” Chet repeated.

“Seems I seen ‘em up by the church,” the woman replied after wiping her nose on the sleeve of her tattered coat.

Blake sighed. “Yes ma’am, we know that.  But have you seen where they, ah, live?”

The old woman wiped her nose again.  “Told you what I know,” she said.  She turned around and shuffled away.

“This was a dead end,” Chet said in a resigned voice.

“Let’s head back to the church,” Blake added, patting Chet on the back.

* * *

Mrs. Prito and her son Tony met with similar results.  While the homeless in town were a little more receptive, and most had seen the woman and child, no one knew where they “lived”.

“Antonio, as much as I want to help this poor woman and child,” Mrs. Prito finally said, shivering from the cold, “we need to go back to the church.  Perhaps the others have had more success.”

“Just one more block, Mom,” Tony urged.  “Joe is counting on us.”

“All right,” Mrs. Prito merrily chuckled.  “How can I say no to such a face?” she said, rubbing her hands on Tony’s cheeks.

They set off again, but it was no use.  The woman and child were no where to be found and no one knew where they were.

* * *

Father Minnetti and Sister Margaret also returned to the church with discouraging news.  The last pair to check in were Frank and Joe, but the Hardy boys had no more success than the rest.

“Joe, we made a valiant effort,” Father Minnetti tried to console the distraught teenager.

Joe knew the man was right, but the priest’s words didn’t offer Joe any comfort.  As the others warmed up with the hot chocolate Sister Anne had made, Joe slipped back outside to the alley.

Joe gazed up into the cold December sky at the twinkling stars so visible against the blackness of night. 

“God, I know I don’t talk with You as often as I should. And I know I don’t deserve any favors from You.  But God, there’s a little girl and a young mother that I’d like to help. Problem is, we can’t find them. Could You maybe help us out here?  I’d sure appreciate it.”

Joe sighed and glanced down the dark alley one last time.  He shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat and turned to enter the back door of the church again.

Suddenly, he turned back around and froze. That’s when he saw the small bit of yarn blowing gently in the chilling breeze.  Joe moved to the chain link fence beside the dumpster.  He knew without a doubt where the thread came from and a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

He looked beyond the fence at the train tracks and the old building he and Frank had just searched. ‘Maybe we didn’t move far enough,’ Joe mused. ‘Maybe we need to go past the old building.’

Joe tried to picture what lay beyond the old abandoned building.  He smiled as he realized it was the perfect place for Martha and Mary to be “living”.

He glanced back up at the heavens.  “Thanks, God!”

Let the authors know what you think of this story

Home   Library   Authors   Rogue's Gallery   Vehicles   Chums   Message Board  Rap Sheet  Links  Contact

Disclaimer