Seek Ye First (book 5 of Genesis 64)

Chapter 1 - White House

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 kjv

The White House, Washington, D.C., April 1865

It's midnight at the White House and the hallways are dimly lit by only candles and oil lamps. Kate Remington, now 23 years old, descends the main staircase. She's wearing a black period funeral dress. The color is simple, but the design isn't - it's long and full and flowing and covered with frilly lace, pleats, and ruffles. Her long dark hair is braided into ringlets and carefully tucked up inside a black veiled bonnet. Something had woken her - the mournful sound of crying and wailing.

"What's going on at this hour? Why this terrible dirge?" she thinks.

She makes her way from room to room, but each is empty of people. Finally she reaches the East Room and when she enters it she's shocked and stunned at the scene before her. The room is devoid of furniture, but in the center is a long, black, wooden catafalque and on it is a body wrapped in funeral vestiges. There are eight mourners, presumably women, all dressed in black funeral attire similar to hers, from whom the wailing is coming from. They are lined up, shoulder to shoulder, across in front of the body. There are also two Union soldiers, in full dress-parade uniforms, stationed at either end of the deceased person. The soldier at the body's presumed head is very fair-skinned with blonde hair while the soldier at the opposite end is a Negro* with dark hair and eyes.

Kate cautiously approaches the blonde-haired soldier and with voice shaking asks, "W-who is d-dead in the W-White House". There is no response. The soldier continues staring eyes forward as if he hadn't heard her. Then looking at the line of mourners she gently pushes her way between two of them until she's directly beside the cadaver's presumed head. Reaching out she takes hold of a corner of the funeral veil and gently pulls it from the body's face to reveal ------

President Abraham Lincoln.

Tears fill her eyes. "Ohh, no, no, no, no!" she sobs. "President Lincoln has died! I'm so, so sorry. He was such a great and good man!"

Suddenly Lincoln opens his eyes and looks at Kate! Startled, she stumbles backward into two mourners and is jarred awake. Kate, now fifteen years old, finds herself in her bed in their home in Red Oak, Pennsylvania once again. "Why do I keep dreaming about Lincoln and the White House?" she asks herself.

Just then her mom calls from downstairs, "Kate, you better get up! The Cappellettis have just left New Jersey and we have a LOT of cleaning to do before they get here!"

Ah, the Cappelletti's. Even their name brings back wonderful family memories of good times and great food. She loved the smells and memories that came from days of cooking with Aunt Ginny, her mom, and her cousin Chris. Although she and Chris were cousins, it seemed more like they were sisters or best friends. They were born the same year - 1995 and just six months apart, so it seemed like they had known each other all their lives. They would spend all the holidays together as well as their summer vacations. She remembered the big Thanksgiving Day meals and all the homemade Italian dishes: ravioli, tortellini, lasagna, spaghetti, and gnocchi that took hours of tender-loving care to make. Aunt Ginny and her mom were sisters. While Bob Remington was of British descent, her aunt Ginny married Bill, of Italian descent, and they settled down in southern New Jersey.

"So what are we going to make first - lasagna?" Kate asked. "I'm so hungry for Italian food."

"Oh honey, Aunt Ginny and Uncle Bill aren't staying long enough for cooking or baking. They're just dropping Chris off and staying overnight before they head back to New Jersey tomorrow," her Mom replies.

"Aw, that stinks," Kate mumbles.

"I know dear," says her Mom. "but Uncle Bill thinks that Chris and Aunt Ginny need some time apart and that they should start right away."

"Why, what's going on?" Kate asks.

Kate's Mom replies, "It's Chris and her questions about her birth mother. She's getting obsessed with the idea of finding her and it's really disturbs Aunt Ginny."

"Oh, that's terrible. Is there anything I can do?" Kate asks.

"No dear," her Mom answers. "I don't think we should even bring it up."

"Oh, okay" she replies, but inside she thinks, "I've got to do something to help her!"

"It's too bad Aunt Ginny and Uncle Bill won't be going with us when we go on the Fortress's fishing trip. Uncle Bill and Jonah seem to like talking about politics and the government and stuff," Kate says.

"Yes dear."

"But it doesn't seem like Aunt Ginny likes Jonah..." Kate's voice trails off.

"Why would you say that, dear?" asks her Mom.

"Last Christmas Uncle Bill and Aunt Ginny were in the living room right after Jonah left and as I walked in I heard Uncle Bill say 'what's the matter with you?' and Aunt Ginny said 'I just don't trust him'. I know she was talking about Jonah. Why would she say that mom?" Kate asks.

"Oh... I-I guess it's because he's not really "family", you know?"

"But, that's not fair! She doesn't know him the way we do!" Kate exclaims.

"I know, I know, dear," Kate's Mom replies. "She's just being protective of you. You're her oldest niece."

"Oh, okay..." a still-a-little-sad Kate tells her mom as she heads back upstairs to start her cleaning. In the bathroom as she's cleaning the sink she finds herself humming a tune the same tune over and over 'Hm hmm hm hm hm-ah hmm-hm hm Hm...' A little while later 'Seek hmm hm hm the-ah hmm-hm hm God...' she continues hums out loud. "What song is that? I know I've heard it before..." 'Seek ye-e first the-ah hmm-hm of God' she hums a few more words. "Oh, it's 'Seek Ye First!'" she announces to herself "We haven't sung that in years - how did that get in my head!?"

"I hate cleaning..." is her next thought "...I can't wait 'til Chris gets here!"