Chapter 14

Tuesday started much like Monday had with Heath waking before Debbie, slipping out of bed to order the hot water for tea and breakfast to be delivered half an hour after the water. He had nothing to do today and planned to see what Debbie wanted to do. He loved the idea of spending the day with her without an agenda. Just the time for them to be alone together sounded splendid to him.

Heath realized that in some ways he didn’t know his wife at all. She had been so subdued and complacent as Reverend Begley’s daughter that she hadn’t really allowed herself to find out who she was. He was going to help her find that out now and watch and cheer as she became who she could be.

As the tea was steeping, Debbie came out of the bedroom. “Why is it every time I wake up you’re gone from the bed?”

Heath smiled and walked over, wrapping her in his arms. “I wake earlier than you. I’m not baking a baby, so I need less sleep.” He kissed her good morning. “Besides, I enjoy getting up and getting your tea started so I can help you not feel so sick first thing.”

She smiled up at him. “Well, I hope that the morning sickness ends soon. I’d like to wake up to my husband in my bed.”

“I guess I could make that happen.”

He walked her to the table, and they sat while she sipped her tea. “Good. So what are we doing today?”

Heath shrugged. “I’m open to suggestions. I thought I’d let you set the agenda today. We can do anything you want.”

Heath could see that she was giving it some thought. He didn’t know what she might want to do. Whatever it was, she decided he’d make it happen.

“I want to do touristy things today. Let’s go do the tour at the Molly Brown House and the Aquarium downtown. Then I’ll probably need to come back and rest.”

Heath quickly called downstairs to the Concierge desk to see if they could get them tickets. The man at the desk was another friend of his brothers. The man told him that tickets would be ready for them that morning for the ten-thirty tour at the Molly Brown House Museum. He got them scheduled for an afternoon entrance into the Aquarium. That would give them time to grab lunch at one of the restaurants close to the Aquarium and still make it a fun afternoon. Once that was done, they’d come back to the room. Which would allow Debbie to take a nap. They’d get dinner from room service, order a movie in the room, and just chill together. Maybe take a nice relaxing bath together and spend the evening just learning more about each other’s hopes and dreams.

Breakfast arrived, and they both ate so they could get dressed for the day. Heath thought it would be fun to spend the morning acting like a tourist with Debbie. She had such an innocent enjoyment of things, and he found it uplifting. He honestly had to say he was falling deeper in love with her every day. He hoped that he’d have many more days to love and care for her through the years to come.

~~~~~~

Reverend Begley arrived at the church to find Alexander Cayden Sr. waiting in his secretary’s office.

“Reverend Cayden, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?”

“Obadiah, can you join me and your board of deacons and the denominational board in your conference room?”

Begley’s face turned thunderous, and he spoke through clenched teeth. “Do I have much choice?”

“No, not really.”

Begley started stalking in that direction. “What is this all about?”

“We should wait to discuss it with everyone assembled.”

They entered the conference room and sure enough, his board of deacons was there, including the traitor Henry Gladstone. Most of the denominational board of directors were also in attendance. “Well, to what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?”

Alexander took the seat at the head of the table and motioned that Obadiah should take the chair at the other end. Obadiah’s anger spiked at this man coming into his church and acting like he was in charge. Of course, as the president of the denomination, he was actually in charge, but still, it rankled.

“Obadiah, your deacons contacted the board of directors with some very serious concerns that we need to address.”

Obadiah’s jaw clenched; his deacons should have come to him with concerns, not the denominational board. “Oh? This is the first I’ve heard of any concerns.”

Henry spoke up. “That isn’t true. I know for a fact that several of the deacons have approached you about the treatment of my daughter and our family, as well as the sermons you are preaching now, attacking people in our community. I tried to speak to you, but you wouldn’t even see me.”

“Why would I see you? Your daughter is a witch who has corrupted several innocent people in this town. Including Reverend Cayden’s son and now my daughter. You have no right to even sit at this table as a deacon. You don’t meet the qualifications as stated in scripture and you abandoned this church several months ago. Why are you here?”

Reverend Cayden cleared his throat. “I checked church records, Obadiah. It still lists him as the church’s head deacon and a member of the church. He not only has every right to be here, he actually has the right to run this meeting.”

Obadiah sat up straight. “The only reason, according to the bylaws of this church, he would have the right to run this meeting is if I wasn’t present, or if this was a call for a vote of no confidence against me.”

Alexander nodded. “That is correct, and that is what this is. A call for a vote of no confidence. Both your deacons and those of us in charge of the denomination need to understand your recent behavior.”

“I’ve done nothing I need to answer for.”

Henry shook his head as he looked at Reverend Cayden. To Begley, it looked as if they had already made up their mind. “This is what I was trying to explain. He honestly thinks what he has been doing is right and just.”

Obadiah sat straighter in his chair. “What is this all about? Surely you aren’t here because I called that witch out for what she was.”