Thank you for reading the story. Remember to contribute to nifty.org. It ensures that you have stories to read and provides a place for authors to present their work. Mac
Peach Cobbler
Summer 2019
Thomas was rolling out the pastry for the peach cobbler. Fresh South Carolina peaches were part of his upbringing and he had many recipes to use this delicious fruit.
"If you keep rolling that dough, it will be so tough you could drive trucks on it." Thomas chuckled and said he needed to be kneading dough to get his frustration under control.
"Why are you frustrated, husband of mine?"
"I can't figure out Mark and his family. They were not at the Farmer's Market today. I wanted to speak with them. Something is going on."
"What is your saying? In God's time. You need to have patience."
They both knew that wasn't one of Thomas' strengths.
At lunch time on Saturday, Thomas and Joe went over their schedules for the coming week. When they retired, their lives had been fairly simple. However, they grew bored with retirement and had started picking up work.
"I am at the Episcopal Church in Mebane tomorrow. The rector is on vacation and I am filling in for him during August. On Monday, I am in Chapel Hill for a Medical Ethics committee meeting. The agenda looks very full and the cases are fascinating this month. I will probably be there all day. Tuesday is clear except running errands in the morning and I have a meeting with a young gay priest in Raleigh in the afternoon. I will be mentoring him as he starts as a new priest in the diocese. On Wednesday I am doing a healing service at lunch time. If we have a big breakfast, we could have a late lunch/early dinner. On Thursday, I am meeting with faculty at Chapel Hill about a grant that will provide clinical services to transgender families. They want to talk with me about spiritual resources and whether I would like to be included as faculty. They think they can get me a clinical faculty appointment if I say yes. On Friday I am teaching my course at Duke on the Acts of the Apostles. Other than that, I have nothing to do."
They both laughed.
"How did we go from retirement where we were going to sit back and do nothing to you being booked every day?"
Thomas laughed and said he had always been an overachiever.
"Okay, Mr. Carpenter, what are you doing this week?"
"I have an easy week. I am working on the insulation where we noticed air leaks last winter. I am working on the Mill House; it is getting close to being finished. We will have to decide what to do with it once I have finished the restoration. It is wonderful that we live on the property that once had an active water mill. Except that it is expensive to restore. It is not like we need to grind corn or wheat. We can afford it, but it will be shame for it to sit empty. On Friday, I have a meeting with a construction company about future planning. I am enjoying being a consultant for SCORE. I never thought of myself as an executive but in the construction trade that is how I am viewed. A family business is looking at how to pass the business from a father to a son. I guess they are also wondering whether to sell the business instead of passing it also. That is smart thinking on their part. I will take them through all of their options. It will be hard work and it gets very personal. Very personal. I expect everything except fisticuffs. Hell, let me find my old boxing gloves in case they are needed." Both men laughed at the absurdity of the notion of family fighting that would lead to something physical.
That Sunday morning, Mark and the kids ate their cereal and he said they were going to another church so they would need to leave extra early. Mark, Robert and Belinda drove to Mebane and Mark pulled into the parking lot of the Episcopal Church. He didn't know how this was going to play out but he decided that he was not going to fight with Belinda when she came out of her bedroom in a dress that morning.
They climbed the front steps of the church with Robert holding Belinda's hand. Mark was behind them. He felt like he was shepherding them up the steps. He also had their backs. They entered the vestibule and Mark was handed a bulletin. When they entered the sanctuary, Mark noticed that the back pew was already taken so he led his children about half way up the aisle and then they sat. This was not an entirely new experience for Mark as Linda had been an Episcopalian. In fact, they had married in an Episcopal church and Robert had been baptized in the Episcopal church. Linda had insisted over the objections of her in-laws. Army had not been baptized.
The opening hymn started and Belinda knew it. She stood on the pew beside Mark and started singing. People around were smiling. It was a surprise when Mark noticed the priest. He was trying to recall his name. He met him at the Farmer's Market.
Belinda knew immediately that it was Thomas. She smiled broadly and waved at Thomas. Slowly, Mark was remembering the order of service. Belinda was enthralled while Robert twitched and was bored. When it was time for communion, Mark stood as did his children. They walked to the altar rail and Mark knelt. Belinda and Robert did likewise. Thomas had the look of recognition on his face as he approached them. It made sense to Thomas. Army was Belinda. He gave the host to Mark who took it. Robert emulated his father and put out his hands. Then Belinda did the same only when Thomas offered the wafer, Belinda took his finger in her hands. Belinda smiled at Thomas. She then took the wafer and ate it. When they returned to the pew, Belinda sat on the end toward the aisle. During the recessional hymn, Belinda slipped from the pew, took Thomas' finger and walked out with him. She was beaming. Thomas was looking down in amazement.
They stood in the narthex as people were leaving. Belinda would shake their hands and thank them for coming. Everyone was absolutely charmed by this little girl. Mark and Robert made their way down the aisle and answered questions from curious people. Members of the congregation wanted to know if they were related to Thomas. This was the first time that Thomas had been a supply priest in their parish and they didn't know anything about him. Mark said they were acquaintances. Belinda was all graciousness when Mark and Robert approached. She was acting like a hostess at a party. Mark thanked Thomas for the service and told Belinda it was time to go. She said that she hadn't finished thanking everyone and she would come out in a few minutes. Mark shook his head wondering about his child. He and Robert walked down the steps and sat on a bench along the walkway. He could still see the entrance and was making sure that Belinda was okay. Robert was talking with him but Mark didn't comprehend what he was saying.
"Dad, it is okay. It is Thomas. We were with him at the Farmer's Market."
Just at that moment, Thomas and Belinda walked down the steps to where Mark and Robert were sitting.
"I am returning Belinda to you. How are you Mark? Robert? I didn't know you were members of this church."
"We're not. This is our first time coming here. I thought we might want to go to a different church this morning."
"Well, Joe is fixing lunch. Would you like to join us?"
"Yes, daddy, please." Both kids were begging.
Mark looked at Thomas and said they would be pleased to join them as long as they were not putting them out.
"Let me go get out of my vestments and call Joe so he fixes lunch for five instead of two." Thomas gave them directions to the house.
"Oh, you are the guys who bought the old Peterson house."
"That's right."
"Okay, I know right where it is. We will be there in an hour."
Mark decided not to go home because he thought his parent's might stop by to ask why they weren't in church. He wasn't prepared to have that conversation. After Mark and his kids pulled up in the driveway, Belinda undid her safety harness, opened the door and jumped from the vehicle. She ran to the house where Thomas had come out from the kitchen door. She took his hand and stood smiling as Mark and Robert strode up the slate walkway. Lavender lined the walk and creeping oregano was between the pavers. It gave off a wonderful scent. Joe was inside finishing the meal and putting the food on the table. Joe greeted them and told Belinda how beautiful she looked that day. She reveled in his compliment. Belinda decided she could trust Joe.
Any awkwardness disappeared as Mark and Joe talked about the construction trade. It didn't take Joe very long to figure out his upcoming SCORE consulting job involved Mark and his father. He chose not to say anything. He became more discreet in what he revealed about his consulting work in case Mark's father had not disclosed the upcoming visit. Mark did not mention it.
After finishing their peach cobbler and ice cream, Mark said they needed to go home though he was somewhat reluctant because he couldn't deal with his parents on the off chance they would stop by. Joe said they had a wonderful hammock in the side yard and it was perfect for an afternoon nap. Robert grabbed Mark's hand and said they were going to test it. Belinda said she wanted to try it out also. Thomas and Joe looked out the kitchen window as the family of three settled in for a nap. They looked so peaceful.
"I'll make something for a light Sunday night dinner. They don't act as if they want to go home." Thomas nodded at Joe's insight and thoughtfulness.
Joe had been right, Thomas noted. Mark and his kids were in no hurry to go home. For dinner, there was a platter of tomatoes, lettuce, cheese slices, bacon, ham, turkey and toasted bread on the table. A container of Duke's mayonnaise was opened. Joe decided not to fancy things up for Sunday night supper. A bag of chips was opened. A pitcher of sweet tea and a carton of orange juice were on the counter. Everyone hoed into the food and made sandwiches. Thomas only put tomato slices and mayonnaise on his sandwich. He joked that Joe would build an elaborate sandwich. Thomas said there was only one proper way to eat a tomato sandwich which was bread, tomato and mayo. Nothing else except maybe some salt and pepper. He told Joe this was not a hoagie filled with different things. Mark and the kids looked perfectly at home eating dinner with Joe and Thomas. They were relaxed after their nap and the tension that Mark had carried in his shoulders earlier in the day had disappeared. They finished off with lemon bars that Thomas had made. Mark and the children said they would clean up and wash the dishes. No amount of talking from Thomas or Joe could convince them otherwise.
It was practically dark when Mark told the kids to tell Thomas and Joe goodbye because they needed to go home. Belinda pulled both gentlemen down into a hug and kissed them on the cheeks. Robert held out his hand for a gentlemanly handshake. Mark did the same.
"It was a pleasure to have you here today. Remember that I will be at the church in Mebane until Labor Day. It would be nice to see familiar faces in the congregation. You might even be able to convince Joe to go with you." Thomas winked at Joe as he spoke.
There was a discussion between the two gentlemen as they lay in the hammock after dinner. They knew that Mark was tense with worry. Thomas said it was about Belinda. Joe said it was about the construction business. They both agreed that whatever the problem it was weighing on the young father.
"Since we are talking about problems worrying a father, have you heard from Sean?"
Joe tried not to let Thomas know about his concern.
"I haven't heard from him a few weeks. Cell phone service is inconsistent in eastern Europe. He will call us when he gets a chance."
They both stopped talking and started ruminating about their son.
Mark lay awake in bed after getting his children settled for the night. They both said how much they liked spending the afternoon with Joe and Thomas. Belinda was especially delighted that she got to stand by Thomas in church and tell everyone to have a blessed day. Mark asked where she heard that language and Belinda said that Thomas was telling everyone that so she decided to do the same. Mark could only shake his head in wonderment at his precocious child.