A Marriage Left Behind novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: The List

Judith bowed her head and took the hand of the woman beside her.

"Heavenly Father," she said, in her flower-committee voice. "We thank you for this family, and for every generous heart at this table."

I did not bow mine.

I looked down the long pine table at Brady, who had his eyes shut tight.

"We thank you for the gifts that keep this house warm, and for those who give them without being asked."

I put my tote on the table and took out the first folder.

"Amen," Judith finished.

"Judith," I said. "Before we eat, I'd like to read a few numbers."

Eight church friends looked up at me with their hands still held.

"Maura, sweetheart, not now."

"You said I should tell everyone to bring their checkbooks. I'm the only one who did."

I opened the folder and laid the first stack in the middle of the table.

"This is eighty-four payments of four hundred dollars. One on the first of every month, for seven years, to Judith's personal account."

A man in a green sweater leaned in to read it.

"The note on each one says cabin upkeep," I said. "I was told it was an old family arrangement."

"It is an arrangement," Judith said. "A family one."

"Then this is another." I took out the second sheet. "Seven Decembers, six thousand two hundred each."

"Forty-three thousand, four hundred dollars."

"Together that's seventy-seven thousand."

The woman at the near end, the oldest of the guests, said "Goodness," very quietly, and took her glasses out of her purse.

I passed my phone down the table.

On the screen was the Birch Lake Lodge rental listing, with the red calendar and the price.

"Four hundred and eighty a night," I said. "Sleeps fourteen. It's booked most weekends all winter."

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