The Miracle Read Online Free PDF

a salad and two cups of coffee in a crowded cafe in the Loop.
    After that, she had spent four hours in the reading room of the Chicago Public Library skimming through the few volumes available that were devoted to Bernadette and Lourdes. She had gone through Bernadette of Lourdes by Frances Parkinson Keyes, which was pro, and The Happening at Lourdes by Alan Neame, which was evenhanded, and Eleven Lourdes Miracles by Dr. D. J. West, which was con, jotted a few notes, and by the time the appointment with Father Heam neared, she felt sufficiently briefed to hold her own in a discussion on the subject.
    The Church of the Good Shepherd was near Lincoln Park, and it had its own parking lot. The place of worship, from its size and well-maintained exterior, was obviously attended and supported by a wealthy congregation. Certainly, Amanda realized, her future in-laws would have belonged to no other.
    Refusing to be intimidated by such splendor, Amanda went directly inside, where she was met and shown to the chancery office occupied by Father Heam. The priest proved to be full-faced, potbellied, and amiable. By contrast with the church itself, his office seemed unprepossessing. Plain gray drapes framed the windows. There was a fireplace, and above it a large bronze crucifix depicting an elongated Giacometti-like Saviour on the Cross. Father Heam offered Amanda a velour-covered chair beside his table desk, then took his place in the straight chair at the desk.
    On the wall behind him was a framed photograph of Pope John Paul III.
    Father Heam was disarmingly apologetic. "Normally, I am not this difficult to see. I enjoy meeting people, and rarely constrict their visits. But this has been an unusually busy day. I'm sorry to limit your visit. Miss Spenser, but only through a bit of sleight of hand have I managed to squeeze you in, and I can give you just twenty minutes. Perhaps another time we can—"
    "No," said Amanda. "Twenty minutes will do." She realized that she could not squander a second. She must get to the subject of potential contention as quickly as possible. "As I told you on the phone, I'm Ken Clayton's fiancee."
    "I'm delighted to meet you, at last. Yes, I've known about you. I was to officiate at your wedding. I still expect to do so at a later date."
    "Then you know about Ken's illness, his cancer?"
    "I've heard about it from his parents. And now from Mr. Clayton himself. I assume you know he was in to see me this morning. We discussed his condition at some length."

    "That's why I'm here," said Amanda, "to discuss it with you further."
    "I'm glad to have this opportunity to talk to you," Father Hearn assured her earnestly.
    The smooth moon face before her was phlegmatic, revealed no pretense of knowing what Amanda's visit was about, but Amanda was certain that it masked shrewd understanding of her motive in wishing this appointment.
    "I have no idea if you know anything about me," said Amanda. "Do you know I'm a clinical psychologist?"
    Father Heam's mouth puckered. A faint suggestion of surprise. "No," he said. "No, I don't think I'd been told that."
    "I have a private practice," said Amanda. "I teach part-time at the University of Chicago. I teach clinical psychology, abnormal psychology, theory of personality. I speak of this only because I want you to understand that while my concern for Ken is that of a woman who loves him, it is also that of a person who can view his illness objectively. Father, you do know how serious his illness is, don't you?"
    "Yes, I do. Miss Spenser. I'm sorry for his ordeal, and your own. I shall be offering prayers for his speedy and complete recovery."
    "That's kind of you. Father Hearn, and I appreciate it." She tried to control herself, keep any tinge of sarcasm out of her voice. "Helpful as prayer may be, I'm afraid Ken will need more than that. His only real hope, his one hope, he's in immediate surgery. He was prepared to undergo this surgery until he saw you this morning. Now he has