Saturday, August 10, 2013

Gabriel's Rapture - Chapter 51


In October, Gabriel persuaded Julia to travel to his house in Selinsgrove for the weekend in order to congregate with their relatives. Rachel and Aaron insisted on doing all the cooking during the weekend, while Tammy’s little boy, Quinn, entertained everyone, including Tom, with his smiles.
“How is married life treating you?” Gabriel asked Aaron as he assembled the ingredients for a salad.
“Really well. You should try it sometime.” Aaron winked at Julia as he took a long pull from his Corona.
“That’s an idea.” Gabriel smiled smugly and went back to his salad.
“Cut the crap, Gabriel. When are you going to put a ring on that woman’s finger?” Rachel’s voice floated across the kitchen from the oven.
“She has one.”
Rachel left her chicken Kiev unattended and raced across the kitchen to examine Julia’s left hand.
“That doesn’t count.” She pointed to Julia’s thumb, which was encased by Gabriel’s platinum band.
Julia and Rachel exchanged a look and shook their heads.
Gabriel regarded the way that Julia’s countenance fell and quickly abandoned his salad (which was laden pretentiously with both fruit and nuts), and hastily embraced her.
“Trust me,” he whispered, so quietly that no one else could hear.
She murmured her acquiescence, and he squeezed her tightly before kissing her.
“Get a room.” Aaron snickered.
Gabriel’s Rapture
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“Oh, we have one.” Gabriel glanced at him sideways.
“We have two, actually.” Julia sighed in resignation.
When they sat down for dinner, Richard asked everyone to hold hands while he said the blessing. He thanked God for his family, for Tammy, Quinn, and Julia, for his new son-in-law, and for the friendship of the Mitchells. He thanked God for his wife and her memory and he pointed out that the seeds she had planted with her children, her husband, and her friends had come to fruition. And when he said “Amen,” everyone wiped at their eyes and smiled, more thankful than they could say that the family was together and strong once again.

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