Me and Charley

12. The Cousins Go Home

With half as many people in the house, Sunday morning this time around was much more relaxed than the Sunday before. I slept too late to see Mom off to work, but I didn't feel so bad about that since after that day I'd have her to myself. An unspoken awareness hung over us as the six of us breakfasted and spiffed up for church, that in a few hours these days of family togetherness would be over. Looking back on it, it's hard to believe how much happened in the thirteen days that had passed since Charley and his parents came into my life. I had to wonder how those days might have been for all our family had they not been part of it. They were now firmly established as just about family to Mom and me – and Grandma was gone forever. My life would never be the same, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

Church was more relaxed as well. Reverend Bob and Ms. Rhoda greeted people at the door as before. Charley stood with them, evidently waiting for us, for he left them when we arrived and accompanied us up the aisle to our seats. Uncle Mack and Aunt Laura took the place in the second pew where Uncle Bob and Aunt Letty had sat the Sunday before. Paul sat at Aunt Laura's left, Jimmy next, me next and Jack next to his father. Charley hiked himself into the first pew and pulled his legs up onto it so he could turn and chat with us.

"I will miss you guys so much," Charley said.

"Yeah," Paul said. "I wish I could just stay."

"Paul," Aunt Laura said, "don't you miss your parents and your brothers?"

Paul said, "Well, yeah." I felt like he was just saying what he was expected to say. Aunt Laura wasn't privy to all the tensions brewing in Uncle Bob and Aunt Letty's family.

Jimmy said, "I hope you can come see us."

"I hope so too," Charley replied. Ms. Rhoda arrived, sat down and said softly, "Charley, face front, please," as she reached across and gently pulled his legs around. The organ began chiming the hour and then swelled with music as the congregation rose and Reverend Bob came down the aisle, in a gray robe rather than the black one he had worn the previous Sunday. There were maybe two-thirds the number of people as there had been the week before. Once again Jack and Jimmy guided me through the service. More than once I thought, If I come back, will I have to sit all by myself? Who will help me?

The church was in midsummer mode, with briefer preaching and no activities after the service. In the vestibule I overheard Aunt Laura say to Ms. Rhoda, "We're going to have a quick lunch before we head home. Will you join us, please?"

Ms. Rhoda said, "Bob, what do you think?"

Charley said, "I vote yes."

Mr. Bob said, "If you can give us a few minutes, there's always someone who wants to talk."

Aunt Laura said, "We'll need to change clothes and get our things to the car, so don't fret about that. Please come."

"Very well," Mr. Bob said. "We'll be there as soon as we can."

Aunt Laura said, "We've got room if Charley would like to ride with us."

Mr. Bob asked, "Charley?"

"Sure! Thanks," Charley replied.

So we all piled into the station wagon, Charley and me in the second seat with Paul between us and Jack and Jimmy in the back. Excited chatter filled the air all the way out to our house. When we arrived Aunt Laura said, "Trey and Charley, why don't you set the tables while we're changing clothes?" I stacked the plates and other things on the kitchen table for Charley to arrange while I took care of the five places at the picnic table on the deck. The travelers made short work of changing clothes and getting everything into the station wagon. Just as Aunt Laura set out the potato salad and the cold cuts and rolls for our sandwiches Charley's parents arrived. We all gathered in the kitchen and Mr. Bob thanked the Lord for our friendship and the food and prayed for safe travel and for everyone who needed prayer, especially Grandpa. We kids took our lunch out to the deck and when we got settled I looked around and began to realize that I'd miss my cousins. I imagine it was on all our minds but no one spoke of that, only of all the things we'd experienced in these days. Finally Jimmy said, "Charley, I'm gonna pray every day that your legs get better."