Head Cheese

A Star is Born

Father Jebidiah was looking out his office window at Sister Angelique as she talked to Matthew, Lux, Faith and.. who is that man, Jeb thought. That's not Taggart. Jeb knew Matt would run into Faith and her mom and hopefully Taggart. But the one armed man in the group didnt belong. Sister Angelique broke from them and headed for Jeb's office . Jeb was waiting for her at the door. "Who is he ?" "His name Aberdeen." "Where'd they find him." Jeb asked. " I ask no more of them, they wait for you."Angelique answered sternly. Sister Angelique began to leave then turned back to Jeb with a tear in her eye. " You said Taggart would be with them." She turned again and left.

The father had walked the trail many times, he knew Faith and her mom, he brought food to their make shift home and he knew Lux was sick. He also knew Taggart lived along the trail, and knew he was battling addiction, but he never meet the one armed man.

Angelique returned with Matthew and the others. "Come in, come in, have a seat." Jeb said as he took his seat behind his desk. "So Matthew, looks like your first day on the job has been...been adventurous. " " I'm trying to make sense of it all." Matt replied. Turning to Faith Jeb said. "Our little angel, you did such a grown up job taking care of your mother." Faith danced alittle in her seat. Then to lux he asked. "Are you feeling better?" " Yes I am ". She answered. Matt was puzzled " You know them?" "Yes" The father answered as he came around to the front of his desk and faced the stranger." I don't know you though."
" I'm Aberdeen. " "Tell me Aberdeen. How did you run into this group." Jeb asked skeptically.  "I was walking along the river bank and...." Aberdeen paused then looked confused. "No wait, I wasnt walking." He looked over to Matt. Matt could see he was more confused then him so he said. " I know what I saw." Matt hesitated searching for the right words that wouldn't come. So as gentle as he could he looked at Aberdeen. " I pulled you out of the river. You were dead. Your arm came off." Matt looked down at the floor. Aberdeen still stareing at Matt said." I remember. I remember my arm floating down the river. I remember not worrying about my loss because I was alive. You saved me." Aberdeens mind was racing as memories started flooding back to him. Jebs mind was reeling too by what he was hearing. "Matthew, you resurrected a dead man." "No. No I think Faith did." Matt said. " You did it." Faith said. "Like you fixed my mom." Jeb spoke."Matt, you radioed us Lux was dead. I thought....I prayed you were wrong. Could it be she was, and you brought her back?" Matt looked up at Jeb and said." She was dead." Lux spoke up. " He saved my daughter too." Jeb looked at Faith and for the first time noticed the blood on her shirt." " What happened? He asked. "Some guy off the trail shot her then ran off." Matt answered. "What did this man look like?" The father asked. As Matt gave them a description of the gunman Jeb and Angelique looked at each other and knew it was Taggart. Sister Angelique shook her head and said a barely audible "no". Jeb could see that she was getting upset so he said. "We need to give this some time to comprehend, let's call it a day. We will talk more tomorrow after we digest it all." Jeb walked over to the door and opened it. "Please excuse me everybody, if you dont mind waiting outside, Sister Angelique will be right out to show our new guests where they can rest." After they all walked out Jeb quietly asked Angelique. "You ok?" "My heart breaks, my Taggart." Her eyes glistened as she shook back her pain until the strong woman she pretended to be came back and changed the subject. " How did you know Matt was a healer?" She asked Jeb. He responded. "When I shook his hand.  I've felt it before".

Years ago back in the states Jeb had witnessed a miracle with his own eyes. As he was praying over a little sick girl, a janitor walked into her hospital room. "Oh excuse me Father." The janitor said as he entered. "No no . Come in." The father said waving him in. " I'm about done here. Shes at the mercy of god now." " Her names Hope. Shes been here before." Chip said as he looked down at Hope. She opened her eyes when she heard Chips voice and forced a smile through her pain. " Its obvious she knows you." Jeb said. He put his hands in prayer as warmth filled him with the confidence that Hope would be ok. "You feel that?" Jeb asked Chip. With out answering Chip placed the palm of his hand on Hope's cheek and held it there as the color came back to her face, the dark circles faded from around her eyes and as Jeb watched life returned to the once dying girl. He said. "Your a messenger of god." " I don't know about that. If that gives you comfort, sure it's from god. But truthfully it came from my dog." The father raised his eyebrows which Chip took as a signal to explain. "When I was a kid I had a dog, I loved that dog and he tought me to heal. So did god use my dog as a tool? Believe what you want." Chip said shrugging his shoulders. Walking around the bed he said to Hope " You be a good girl now." And extended his hand to the father." Im Chip. It was nice meeting you." "All my pleasure. I'm Jebidiah." A smile shot across Chips face. "A beloved friend". He sighed as he turned to the door. "What ?" Jeb asked. Chip opened the door and turned back toward Jeb. "Your name means beloved friend, my dogs name." With that Chip left the room.
"Wait." Came to late from Jeb. He turned to Hope and brushed his hand across her forehead pushing the hair back trying to rationalize everything he had just witnessed."Glory be god." He whispered.