Bridge to Haven Read Online Free PDF Page A

to someone you cherish, even when we know we will see her again. Marianne was a wonderful wife and mother.” Hetalked about how they had known each other from childhood, back to the farm days in Iowa. He talked about how young they had been when they married, how poor, how happy. He talked about family Joshua had never met because they lived so far away. They had sent a wreath of flowers. Dad’s voice grew quieter and more strained. “If there is anyone who would like to say a word or share a story about Marianne, please do so.”
    One after another, people stood. Mom had many friends, and they all had nice things to say. One lady said Marianne was a prayer warrior. Another said she was a saint. Several older parishioners said she’d come by more than once with casseroles and homemade pies. “She brought the little girl with her, too. Sure did cheer me up.” A young mother stood with her baby in her arms and said Marianne always found a way to bring the Lord into their conversation.
    The congregation fell silent. No one moved. Miss Mitzi stood. Her son, Hodge Martin, said something, but she squeezed past him into the side aisle and headed for the front of the church. She blew her nose as she walked, tucking her hankie in the sleeve of her sweater. She marched up the three steps and sat at the piano. She smiled at Dad, still standing at the pulpit. “My turn, Zeke.”
    Dad nodded.
    Mitzi looked at Joshua and then fixed her eyes on Abra. “The first time Marianne brought Abra over for a piano lesson, I wondered why she didn’t just teach Abra herself. We all know how well she played. She said she never learned to play anything but hymns, and she wanted Abra to learn all kinds of music. I asked what she liked best, and she surprised me.” Positioning her hands over the keys, she looked up. “This is for you, honey. I hope you’re dancing up there.”
    Stamping her foot a few times, Mitzi set a rhythm, then launched into the “Maple Leaf Rag.” Hodge Martin sank in his pew and covered his face. Some looked shocked, but Dad laughed. Joshua laughed, too, wiping tears from his face. When Mitzi finished, shelooked at Dad, her face softening, and started playing one of Mom’s favorite hymns. Dad closed his eyes and sang.
    “‘Jesus lives, and so shall I: Death, thy sting is gone forever . . .’”
    People joined in one by one until the entire congregation sang. “‘He for me hath deigned to die, lives the bands of death to sever.’”
    Dad came down the steps, and Peter Matthews, dressed in a black suit, rose, squeezed Joshua’s shoulder, and joined the other pallbearers. The entire congregation stood and continued singing. “‘He shall raise me from the dust: Jesus is my hope and trust.’” Joshua took Abra’s hand, and they followed Dad and the men carrying Mom in the casket out to the hearse parked at the curb.

    Three weeks after Mommy’s funeral, the car died with a loud clunk and shudder in the driveway. Daddy got out and looked under the hood while Abra sat in the front seat, waiting. After a few minutes, Daddy slammed the hood, his face tight. He opened the car door. “Come on, Abra. We’ll have to walk to school.”
    It was cold, and her breath steamed, but she grew warm quickly keeping up with Daddy’s long strides. She wished she didn’t have to go to school. She hadn’t gone back for a week after Mommy died, and when she did, one of the boys teased her about being a crybaby until Penny told him to shut up, you’d cry too if your mommy died and you were right next to her when it happened, and she knew because her mommy said so. The next day another girl on the playground said Abra never had a mother. Pastor Zeke found her under a bridge where people dump kittens they don’t want.
    Abra stumbled and almost fell, but Daddy caught her hand. “Can I come to church with you?”
    “You have to go to school.”
    Her legs ached and they still had blocks to go. “Will we have to walk