Love By its First Name Read online

  “So Marge must know. That’s why she called you?”

  “Yes, she knows. She bandaged up their wounds as best she could before they left Paris.” Kathy’s face had softened quite a bit while Rebecca told her the story. “Kathy, Jerry means a lot to you, doesn’t he?”

  Tears began to form in Kathy’s eyes. “Yes, he’s the most wonderful man I’ve ever known. You should have seen him last night. There he was, slowly walking down the aisle while this madman is yelling at him, calling him ‘Holy Man’ and ‘asshole’ and threatening him with a big gun. Everybody else is hiding down in the pews and Jerry keeps walking. God, Rebecca, I’ve never seen anything like that. He was the same at the anti-abortion rally, just jumped right in there and saved that doctor’s life. I don’t think Jerry fears anything.”

  “Oh yes he does.” Rebecca had to smile.

  “Like what?” Kathy looked incredulous.

  “Like you, me, Marge and any other attractive woman who tries to get close to him. Remember that Saturday when you sang ‘The Rose’?” Kathy nodded. “Well, the look you gave him afterward would have melted an iceberg, and Jerry looked like he was about to run off the altar.”

  Kathy blushed. She really had no idea that she showed her feelings that evening, or any other time, for that matter. “Well, Rebecca, he’s a priest. Was my look really that obvious?”

  “To me it was. Ask Marge the next time you see her. I know he’s a priest but he’s also a man.” She thought about telling Kathy about his getting drunk and what he said afterward but decided against it. “Oh, and did you notice how subdued he was around us when we had dinner at Marge’s?”

  “I just thought he was tired.” Kathy studied the middle of the table for sometime, then asked, “Did, uh, Jerry stay at your place when he was in St. Louis?”

  Rebecca lied. “He said he could go to a motel but I told him it was a waste of money because I have an extra bedroom. He was a bit uncomfortable but okay, I think.”

  “How long did he stay?” Kathy was obviously wondering if he stayed long enough for Rebecca to get her claws into him. Rebecca realized that she could lie again, but it could too easily be revealed. “Let’s see, he arrived Monday evening and left Thursday morning.”

  Kathy began counting the hours in her head. “So he stayed with you for three nights.” She couldn’t help making it sound like an accusation.

  Rebecca had to work to keep the defensiveness out of her voice. “Kathy, I hope you are not implying that we did anything wrong, like sleep together. I showed him around St. Louis and we talked, that’s all.”

  Still sounding petulant, Kathy asked, “Then why did you drop everything and drive all night to see him?”

  “I guess I’m like you, I think he’s the most unusual and admirable man I’ve ever met. He really touches me, but, uh, not physically. He touched my heart.”

  Kathy’s jaw tightened as she said, “He touches too many hearts, I think.”

  Rebecca decided to change the subject, or at least re-focus it. “Jerry told me that you had a friend who has been helping you with the kids and their music. Was he there last night?”

  “No. He wanted our relationship to be different than it was. He made demands on me and I told him to get lost. End of story.”

  Rebecca hoped that she didn’t show her disappointment. She glanced at her watch. “I think we better get back to our boy.”

  When they got back to the room, Jerry, detached from the IV, was sitting up and finishing what looked like a bowl of oatmeal. “Just in time. The doctor says I can go home today as long as I take it easy.” He wrinkled up his face and looked around the room. “Now I have to figure out how to get dressed. One of the nuns found a new shirt and undershirt for me and washed everything else.”

  Rebecca grinned and looked at Kathy. “We can dress you, can’t we Kathy? If two women dress you, it won’t be scandalous, will it?”

  Jerry looked startled and then blushed scarlet. “I’m sure I can manage. Just hand me the clothes over there.”

  Evidently Kathy was feeling rather playful herself as she handed him the pile of clothes and said, “May we watch?”

  “No you may not! Wait in the hall and I’ll tell you when I’m ready.”

  Grinning, Rebecca and Kathy went into the corridor. Kathy said, “I don’t have a car here.”

  “We can take mine, if that’s okay with you. I’ll just plan to go back to St. Louis tomorrow. Did you see the look on his face when I suggested that we dress him?”

  Kathy put her hand over her mouth and laughed. “I’ll bet it’ll take him an hour to dress himself.”

  They heard a loud thud accompanied by, “Oh shit!” Opening the door they saw Jerry sprawled on the floor. He was lying on his right side with the left shoulder heavily bandaged and his arm in a sling that pressed his forearm and hand against his chest. He had his shorts on and one leg halfway in his pants. He was sweating, red in the face, and obviously in pain.

  Kathy rushed to his side and knelt down. “Are you all right?”

  “Do I look like I’m all right?” he snapped.

  With arms crossed in front of her, Rebecca looked down at him and asked, “Well, Mr. Independent, are you ready to accept a little assistance?”

  “Just help me up and stop yapping!”

  Rebecca knelt opposite Kathy. Jerry was facing her. “Take my right arm and help me sit up straight.”

  Rebecca started to lift his arm as Kathy pulled gently on his left side. They got him lying flat on his back and then managed to get him in a sitting position. The two women had their hands on his back and waist when they heard a booming, indigent voice, “And what, may I ask, is going on here?”

  Kathy whispered, “It’s the Bishop.” Jerry groaned.

  Rebecca glanced at the pudgy fellow in a black suit, clerical collar, and gold chain and cross over his chest standing in the doorway. She said, “You may ask, but it would be more helpful if you’d get your ass over here and help us get this man up.”

  Kathy stifled a giggle and Jerry started laughing so hard he fell back toward the floor. If Rebecca and Kathy hadn’t caught him, he would have banged his head. He started coughing.

  The Bishop called down the hall, “Nurse, nurse, get an orderly in this room immediately.” A lot of scurrying seemed to be going on near the nurses’ station. The Bishop turned back to the trio on the floor. “And who might you be?” He motioned toward Rebecca.

  “I might be Kathy Olson, formerly Sister Kathleen. But I’m not, I’m Rebecca Brady.”

  This time, Kathy did allow herself to giggle.

  “And you, the laughing one, who are you?”

  “I’m Father Haloran, Bishop.” Jerry laughed again.

  “I know perfectly well who you are, Father.” He pointed at Kathy.

  Kathy managed to control her giggling long enough to say, “I’m the real Kathy Olson, Bishop.”

  By this time a female nurse, who looked bigger and stronger than her male companion, arrived. The woman motioned Rebecca and Kathy out of the way and expertly placed Jerry back on the bed. “Everybody out, while we help this man get dressed.”

  Rebecca and Kathy followed the Bishop out in the hall. “Tell me, my good ladies, what was going on in there?”

  Kathy started to say, “We were just--.”

  Rebecca interrupted her. “We were attempting to molest him while he was helpless on the floor.” Kathy started to giggle again and Rebecca continued. “What did you think we were doing?”

  “Young lady, do you know who you are talking to?”

  “Yes. I’m talking to someone who seems too full of himself for his own, or anyone else’s, good.”

  “Well I’ll find out what your name is and who your superior is and tell him about your outrageous behavior!”

  Rebecca was really hitting her stride now. “Well, fatso, I don’t have anyone who is superior to me, and the person I work for is a she. And I’m sure she would agree with me that you are an egotistical
ass!” Rebecca turned on her heels and went back in the room.

  She heard the Bishop ask Kathy, “Who is that woman?” Kathy responded, “Bishop, I don’t think it is any of your business!” She could hear the Bishop’s “Hmmmph” and his stomping off down the hall.

  As the male nurse pinned Jerry’s left shirtsleeve over his chest, the priest said, “Thanks, Rebecca, that’s the best laugh I’ve had in years. It hurt but it was worth it. I’ve wanted to say things like that for a long time.”

  “Why haven’t you?”

  “Because it would get me thrown out of the priesthood on my ear, that’s why.”

  Rebecca looked at Kathy and winked, “What would be so bad about that?”

  CHAPTER 15

  There is a variety of gifts but the same Spirit…working in all sorts of ways

  in various people, it is the same God who is working in all or them.

  1 Corinthians 12: 5-7

  On the Wednesday after returning from the hospital, Jerry groaned as he sat down in the recliner. Nearly every movement hurt his shoulder. The physician had told the priest that he could take a pain pill every four hours, but they made him so sleepy he had limited himself to one in the morning and one before bedtime.

  As he waited for Sy Peterson to arrive, he thought of Angela and Julie Kurtz. Helene had relayed to him on Monday morning that when she had told them of Ralph Kurtz’s death, Julie had immediately said, “Good!” Helene was rather mystified by Angela’s question, “Do you think I killed him?” Helene went on to tell him that Angela seemed to be in a state of shock and that, in fact, she appeared to be in very poor health ever since she arrived at St. Clair’s. “Jerry, I don’t think she has recovered from the beating.” Jerry muttered to himself, “That poor woman.”

  He smiled to himself as he thought of Kathy and Rebecca giggling as they returned from a visit with Alice Peterson the same day they had accompanied him home from the hospital. They never did tell him what they were laughing about. They are both so beautiful in their different ways, he thought. He looked around the room, it was tidy, for a change. Both women had spent several hours Sunday cleaning and dusting the whole house for him. After spending the night at Marge’s, they had stopped by the rectory before heading their separate ways. He felt abandoned and terribly lonely after they left.

  Hearing a light knock on the door, Jerry yelled out, “Come in, it’s unlocked.”

  Sy Peterson entered and sat down on the couch opposite Jerry. “Well, Father, how’s the shoulder?”

  Jerry smiled. “Okay, unless I move. I’m glad you came over, Sy. I’ve been meaning to tell you how much I appreciate Jim helping me out these days. He’s a fine boy.”

  “Yes he is. And thanks to you, I think he’s beginning to think so himself. The challenge of setting up and leading the band at Mass has done wonders for him. Oh, and he’s got a terrible crush on Kathy Olson.”

  “I’ve noticed how he looks at her.” Jerry attempted to mimic Jim’s face by dropping his jaw and staring wide-eyed across the room.

  Sy laughed. “That’s it. Anyway, he’s coming out of his shell and, finally, getting good grades in school. But that’s not what I came to talk about.” Sy looked around, coughed, and said, “What I want to ask you is this: You know, Alice and I have been married for thirty-seven years. The first few years she asked me, every once in a while, if I wanted to become a Catholic. I just kinda brushed her off by saying, ‘Maybe, sometime I will.’ To tell you the truth, I’ve never been too impressed with most Catholics and definitely not by the priests we’ve had around here.” Sy chuckled a little and added, “Present company excepted, of course. To get to the point, Father, you know Alice only has a little while to live and…” Sy’s eyes moistened a bit and he ran the back of his hand over them. “Pardon me. Anyway, I wonder if you’d baptize me? It’ll have to be soon, you know, because…”

  “Because you’re afraid Alice has only a few days left. I’ll be happy to baptize you, Sy, whatever your reasons. But, tell me, are you doing it only to please Alice?”

  “No, Father Jerry. To me, that would be hypocritical and Alice would know it was. I’ve always thought of myself as a spiritual person. Not religious, mind you, but spiritual. I’ve read quite a bit about Eastern religions, Native American practices, and all and liked a lot of what I read. Better’n what I heard your predecessors talk about. But, here you come along and talk about love, relationships, peace, and justice rather than rules. And damned if you don’t ‘walk the talk’ as they say. I like that and can see myself being your kind of Catholic.”

  “Thanks, Sy. I appreciate that. Almost from the day I met you I felt a certain dignity and spirit about you. And then meeting Alice and seeing the two of you together, I said to myself, ‘That Sy is a better Christian than most churchgoers I’ve known.’”

  “Now it’s my turn to say thanks.”

  “When would you like to have the baptism? How about if I have a Mass in your living room on Sunday. That way Alice can attend and you can invite the whole family and whomever else you’d like.”

  “That sounds like a grand idea. Will you do me one more favor?” Jerry nodded. “Would you have a little talk with Alice about it all - kinda convince her that I’m not just doing this to please her.”

  “Sure, no problem. Oh, one more thing, Sy, you’ll need to have a Godfather and Godmother. Have anyone in mind?”

  “Yeah, I do. For Godfather, how about Joe Gaffin, the sheriff. I know he’s not Catholic, but—”

  “But he’s a good man, like you. Good choice and I’d be a hypocrite myself if I didn’t say, ‘yes.’” Jerry chuckled. “I’ll tell him to shoot you in the foot if you stray. How about Godmother?”

  Sy blushed a little as he said, “How about Kathy Olson? Always wanted a pretty young mother. My mother was near forty when I was born and jest about as pretty as me.”

  “Another great choice. You want to ask them or do you want me to?”

  “I’ll do it, ‘cept I don’t have Kathy’s phone number.”

  “I’ll get it for you.” Jerry clumsily got up from the chair accompanied by numerous groans, and went to the office. He handed the paper to Sy. “Welcome to the fold, Sy, my friend.” He put his right arm around Sy and gave him a sideways hug.

  When Jerry took Communion to Alice on Thursday morning, he could see that her health was failing more each day. She gave him a weak smile and touched him with her cold hand. Jerry took the communion wafer from the small gold container and held it in front of Alice, saying, “The Body of Christ.”

  In a weak voice, Alice responded, “Amen.” He put the wafer on her tongue. Weeks earlier she had decided her hands were too shaky to hold the wafer herself, so she asked him to put it on her tongue.

  Jerry covered the locket-like container and gently placed it in his pocket. “I understand that Sy told you that he wants to be baptized a Catholic.”

  Her voice was weak but the spark in her eyes was as strong as ever. “Yes, indeed, he did. And I suppose he asked you to talk to me so I wouldn’t think he was doing it just to please me, huh?”

  There’s nothing wrong with her thinking or articulation, Jerry thought. “He did say something like that.”

  “Well, Father Jerry, you needn’t bother. That man has never done a single hypocritical thing in his life. If he wants to become a Catholic, it’s because he sees some good in it. And, Father Jerry, I want to thank you for that, you’ve not only helped Sy, you’ve helped me these past months. I’ve finally found a priest who has some sense.” Alice smiled a weak little smile. “Of course, that means one who agrees with me.”

  Jerry winked at her and smiled. “As you know, Alice, great minds think alike. So Sunday is okay with you?” She nodded.

  “Alice, one more thing, I’ve been meaning to ask you all week. Kathy and Rebecca were giggling after they visited with you Sunday. What did you say to them?”

  Alice bit her lower lip, turned a very noticeable pink, and looked away. Aft
er a minute, she turned and looked at him. “Maybe I should go to confession now.”

  “That bad, huh?” He couldn’t imagine Alice doing or saying anything that would be considered sinful.

  “Maybe just mischievous. The two of them were laughing and talking about which one was going to run off with you.”

  Jerry chuckled self-consciously. Of course, they were teasing. They couldn’t have those kind of feelings for him...could they? He couldn’t bring himself to share with Alice how much the thought bothered him. “And you said…?”

  Again Alice blushed. “I said, ‘why don’t you help him get ready for bed tonight and take a peek. See if his pecker is ... uh….’”

  “All shriveled up?” Jerry shook with laughter and then abruptly put his right hand on his left shoulder and hollered, “Ouch!”

  Alice put her small hand on his knee. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t very nice, was it?”

  “Not nice, but funny. I forgive you.” He waved his hand in the sign of the cross as if he were giving her absolution.

  “May I be serious for a moment?”

  Jerry nodded.

  “You know, Father Jerry, they were laughing and joking but in some ways, I think they were both serious. You have touched their hearts. I don’t know what kind of feelings you may have for either of them, but they are wonderful young women. I’ve always thought that a person needs to love someone, love someone in a very special way, to become a truly whole person.” Alice looked at him questioningly for a long moment and then went on, “I’m going to be bold now. I haven’t got much time left but I have been having these thoughts and I want to share them with you.” She took a labored breath. “Of course, I think of you as a fine man, better and more whole than most, married or not. But, Father, I often see you as very sad. You cover it up pretty well most of the time. I suppose most people don’t notice it, but an old woman like me with nothing to do but sit around all day notices things.”