“Why are you sorry?” Faye asked. “What happened?”

“Lydia, are you talking to me?”

A creaky bellow emitted from the door off to the side of Mrs. Ceiba’s desk. Wunder recognized the voice. It was very recognizable. There was the sound of shuffling feet and a cane tapping, and then a shaggy, gray head leaned out the door.

It was the Minister of Consolation.

Chapter 22

“Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry we disturbed you!” Mrs. Ceiba had stood up. She was talking very loudly.

“I’ve told you, Lydia!” the minister yelled. “There’s no need to yell. I can hear just fine!” His bespectacled eyes roamed around the room, stopping on Faye and Wunder. “Who are you?”

“This is Wunder Ellis,” Mrs. Ceiba said, still very loudly. “And his friend—”

“Faye,” Faye said.

“His friend Faye. Wunder, Faye, this is Mr. Dabrowski. He’s in charge of our Ministry of Consolation.”

“Dabrowski,” Wunder repeated. “Do you know Florence? Do you know Sylvester? We have something for him.” He held up the letter.

The minister raised two bushy gray eyebrows at them. Mrs. Ceiba was wringing her hands together. She looked extremely uncomfortable.

“Come into my office!” he yelled. He shuffled back inside.

The office was a cramped room, entirely taken up by two threadbare armchairs, an old desk overflowing with papers, and a wooden chair. The minister stood at the door and glared as Wunder and Faye sat. Then he shut the door quite forcefully and began making his way back to his desk.

It took a while, and as he waited, Wunder stared across the paper-strewn desk. There was a picture of Saint Gerard on the wall. In the picture, the saint wore a long black robe and cradled a crucifix. Behind him, a woman and a peacefully slumbering infant lay on a bed. The woman was clutching a white handkerchief. The story of this picture, taken from the About Us section of the church bulletin, had featured in one of Wunder’s earliest Miraculous entries:

Miraculous Entry #10

Saint Gerard performed many miracles. The most well-known involves a woman who met Saint Gerard when she was a child. During this meeting, he gave her his handkerchief, telling her she might need it someday. Years later, after Saint Gerard had been dead for some time, the woman suffered complications during childbirth. Fearing for her life and for the life of her child, she remembered Saint Gerard’s handkerchief. As soon as it was brought to her, her pain ceased, and she delivered a healthy baby.

Saint Gerard was the patron saint of pregnant women. He was the patron saint of childbirth.

“Let’s have that letter!” The minister had finally made it to the wooden chair behind the desk. His hand was outstretched.

Wunder turned away from Saint Gerard.

“It’s not for you,” Faye said. “It’s for Sylvester.”

“I am Sylvester, you know,” the minister replied. “And Florence was my wife. But she’s dead.”

Faye shrieked. Wunder shook his head.

“She can’t be,” he said. The minister didn’t say anything. “She can’t be!” he repeated, louder.