Macy

Chapter 1

"Macy!" my momma called from downstairs "Pastor Rick is here to see you!"

Why is Pastor Rick here?

I shouldn't be in trouble for missing the service on Sunday, I told momma that I was too sick to attend. And I wouldn't want to get everyone else around me sick either!

"Comin" I hollered and left my room, but not before making sure I was presentable. I smoothed out my pale-yellow sundress and headed downstairs.

"Morning Pastor" I greeted him with a smile, which he returned brightly.

"Macy!" he extended his hand for a firm shake "hope you're feeling better. I heard you were under the weather"

"Yeah" I nodded "you know I would've come in, but I didn't want the elderly folk to get my cold and come down with something worse" I shivered.

I'd hate to be the reason one of our elder worshippers came down with some deadly cold.

"God bless you child" Pastor praised and took a sip of the coffee momma handed him "you've raised great children Amanda. How is your boy? Still in the military?"

"He's good" momma said curtly. She never talks about Matty, as much as I ask, I always get the same answer, so I just don't bother anymore. But I miss my brother, I guess he just doesn't miss us "last time we checked in with him, he was transferring to the air force"

"When was this?" I asked, my ears perked at the news.

"Just the other month" momma waved me off "but enough about Matthew, tell Macy why you're here Rick"

"Right! Yes!" the attention back on me "so Macy, sadly we had a break in last night. Some low life hooligan trashed the church and with it the piano"

I gasped. How could anyone have it in them to enter such a holy place and such a beautiful piano "how bad's the damage?"

"It's not the best" he sighed sadly "but I was hoping you could help"

"Of course!" I nodded enthusiastically "anything at all"

"That's great!" Pastor Rick beamed "so the strings of the piano weren't harmed, it's more the exterior and I know just how handy you are, and I thought of you as soon as I saw the damage. It'd need to be mended, sanded, polished and painted. Oh! And the bench was hacked into two pieces too. All at your own leisure and time of course but hopefully finished before the end of the year for Christmas mass?"

Christmas mass? That's a whole six months away. I'm sure I could repair the piano well before that.

"I'll have it up and running well before the choir need it to be singing 'silent night'" I joked.

"I'm glad you have such optimism Macy, youth these days need a bit of your spirit. And lord help the person who broke in" his voice lowered at the mention of the intruder.

"Is there an investigation?" momma asked.

"Sherriff examined the scene this morning and couldn't find any prints and there were no witnesses, so it's looking pretty low from here. And apart from a few broken windows, burnt bibles and the piano nothing else was severely damaged and nothing was stolen. The float of donations was unlocked however not touched so the Sheriff thinks it was just someone taking out their anger"

"Sounds like some teen or even a pack of teens looking to cause some trouble" momma looked at me and smiled "at least you're not with the wrong crowd Macy"

Truth be told, I'm not with any crowd really.

Sure I've got a few school friends, but we only ever contacted each other for schoolwork and answers. Nothing out of school.