Two hours later, he’d circled the park more than a dozen times. He was dripping sweat and his legs were burning, but he felt good. He’d worn out the sadness and the anger of this place for the night—at least enough to be able to sleep.

He stripped in the laundry room, tossed his clothes in the washer and started it up, then went to shower. After he was clean again, he crawled into bed and turned on the TV. Just to be on the safe side, he set the alarm so he wouldn’t oversleep. After flipping channels without finding anything to catch his attention, he turned the TV off and closed his eyes.

He was halfway between dozing and dreaming when Ava’s face suddenly appeared before him. She looked scared and she was crying. Then his dream shifted and he was standing in the doorway watching her leap off the porch, skipping the steps, as she ran away. He fell asleep, dreaming that he needed to see her but couldn’t find her, and woke up to an alarm.

It was already tomorrow. The day they buried Mom.

He turned it off, then rolled over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling.

God give me the strength to endure and the wisdom to keep my mouth shut doing it.

Then later as he was leaving for the church, he thought of Ava again and how she’d made him feel yesterday.

Her knight in shining armor.

If only.

He knew she’d gone back to work today, so he wouldn’t see her at the service. He also knew he was opening himself up to complications by being around her, but the bottom line was he wanted to see her again.

* * *

Gordon was exceptionally patient with Emma this morning. He knew the day was going to be grueling for all of them and would do anything he could to make it easier, even making breakfast for them while she was in the shower.

Emma came into the kitchen in her bathrobe, smelled the pancakes and coffee, and burst into tears.

“Oh, Gordon, you are such a sweet man.”

Gordon hugged her. “I love you, honey. I’m so sorry for your sadness. Come eat a little before we leave for the church, okay?”

Emma slid into the chair, letting her husband serve her, and then they sat and ate, talking about nothing in particular as married people often do. But it was the comfort of his presence and the kindness that touched her most. By the time they were leaving the house, she felt better able to cope with the day ahead.

* * *