Picket Fences! Part 15



Over at Buford Falls Church . . .


Pastor Woods was waiting for Rhys in the church cemetary.


He showed him Grace's tombstone.
"I picked this one with the baby angel on it. I think Grace would like it and it has a special meaning for me in particular", he said, "I hope it's what you wanted."


"It's beautiful. Exactly what I had in mind", said Rhys.


"Pastor, I can tell that it upsets you to talk about Grace. How well did you know my grandmother?", he asked.


"Come sit down and I'll tell you, if you have time to listen to rantings of an old man ", he said.


" Rhys, the first time I saw Grace was when I took over as pastor of Buford Falls Church. I was fresh out of seminary and newly married to a girl I thought I loved. Grace came with her parents to every service. As time went on, Grace started stopping by the church to see me. We would just talk at first, but eventually we fell in love. After that things became more serious between us . . .


"I remember one afternoon in particular, Grace was sitting at the piano playing a hymn. She looked so lovely and played so beautifully."


"I stood behind her and watched her play for a few minutes. She must have sensed I was there . . .


Because she got up, came over to me and gave me a tender kiss."


"We sit there in the church and cuddled on one of the pews. We talked about how we'd like to get married after I divorced my wife. We both knew it was an impossible dream because if I divorced, that would have ended my ministry."


"Then I gave Grace a romantic kiss and she kissed me back."


"And before we knew what was happening, we started making out and our lovemaking went too far."


"Afterwards, I kissed Grace one last time . . .


"We never spoke of that afternoon again. We remained best friends, but that was all after that ", he said.


"A short time later, Grace went to stay with her grandmother in Pleasantview for a few months. That must have been when your father was born and she gave him up for adoption. I didn't know I had a son until after Grace died and named you as her heir", said the pastor.


"Now that we know about each other, I'd like for us to be friends", said Reverend Woods.
"I'd like that, too", said Rhys.


"Is what I hear true, you have a son with your maid?", asked the pastor.
"Yes, I named him Ryan after my father", said Rhys.
"Please bring him by sometimes. I'd like to meet my great-grandson", said the pastor.



Reverand Woods gave Rhys a hug goodbye.


Then Rhys left to get home before the maid had to leave.


"Grace, I told our grandson everything. I hope it was the right decision."

To be continued . . .