The Nightmare to the Ring -- Chapter 2

The Story of Daniel

Monday, November 27, 1944

It was nearly supper time, and Ray opened the kitchen door just in time to hear Livy gasp. Her knees buckled as she gripped the edge of the sink to keep from falling to the floor.
"LIVY!!" He reached her before either of them believed it possible, scooping her up in his arms. He was alarmed to see how pale she was. He held her close, his heart thudding against his ribs in fright, as she slowly focused her eyes on his.
"What happened, Liv, is it--?"
"I think...it was just...this pain--"
"Pain!? Are you---"
"Ray, no, no...it's ok ..."

He carried her into the living room, his own legs shaking from what he had just witnessed. He gently put her on the couch and kneeling in front of her took her cold hands in his, rubbing them till he could feel warmth creeping back into them.
"Good Lord, Livy, I thought...I thought...hold on, I'll call Doc McCutcheon."
Livy had caught her breath, touched at Ray's reaction. She gripped his arm to stop him.
"Ray, it's all right. The doctor told me I would have these...these pre-labor pains of sorts. That was the first really hard one. It took my breath away, that's all." He stared at her incredulously.
"That's all?? It took 20 years off my life when I saw you! What do you mean--you've had these before? Livy, why didn't you tell me?"
"I've only had a couple, honestly. And they weren't that strong. This one just caught me off guard. Really, call Martha if you must, she'll tell you. They're completely normal."
Ray cupped her face in his hand and searched for a sign that she was hiding any pain or discomfort. Her cheeks were starting to pink up again, and she actually looked like she was fighting a smile. His eyes narrowed shrewdly.
"Ok...but from now on, I'm sticking close! There are plenty of things I can work on here in the house so you won't be by yourself."
"Whatever you say! Now, let me up so I can get supper?" She was feeling a little embarassed with his close scrutiny. She started to get up, thinking Ray would stand aside, when he sat down next to her.
"I know for a fact there's ham and soup in the icebox. I'll see to our supper in a bit. Just sit here with me, Livy? Least till I know for certain you're all right..." She sighed, knowing he would not give in on this until she did as he asked. So nodding her head, she leaned into his outstretched arm. He breathed a sigh of relief, grateful she agreed to let him hold her. He aimed to keep her there, calm and quiet, as long as he could. For a few minutes, the only sound was the radio playing softly in the kitchen. The sun was fading fast, and other than the low fire in the grate, the house was getting dark. Livy's hand was splayed across her tummy, and Ray laced his fingers with hers, comforted by the baby's movements.

"Did I ever tell you about the day Mama had Daniel?" He gave a low chuckle.
"Whew...guess all this is making me remember. I came home from school that day, and the house was sparkling, like Mama had polished the whole place. Martha was fixing dinner and she had a twinkle in her eye. Let's see...I'd just turned 10, so Martha was 16. Course, I was kept pretty much out of the loop. Oh, I knew the baby was coming, but Mama never let on that she so was close to her time. Anyway, she was upstairs resting and Daddy hustled me out to the barn with a whole list of things to do after my regular chores. I wasn't happy, but I sure didn't let him hear me grumbling..." Livy could feel Ray smile against the top of her head.

"It was only March; planting hadn't started yet. So...I was out there a few minutes when Martha brought me a glass of milk and a plateful of cookies. She said, 'The baby'll be here soon, Ray--just think! Oh, I hope it's a girl!' Well, I just laughed, 'cause of course, I was hoping for a little brother" Ray scooted over some, so Livy could settle against him more comfortably.

"Anyway, 'bout an hour later, I heard Daddy yellin' for me! I went running, and he's up here on the porch grinning, puffed up like an old rooster! I'm hollerin' --'what is it? what is it?' Daddy just laughed, 'Well, son, go on up and see for yourself!' I flew up the stairs--Martha shushing me all the way! When I peeked in at Mama, she smiled and waved me into their room. She handed me this little bundle of nothin', 'Ray, this is your brother Daniel' He was so tiny, Liv, with hair like new cornsilk! He just looked up at me with those big blue eyes. Well, I knew right then that he was mine to look after. Mama said as much to me that night. 'Ray, this little fella's gonna want to be just like you. I want you to remember that when he's following you around, pestering you in a few years--' she just smiled..." Ray was lost in his story, still seeing baby Daniel in his mind.
"It was like we were bonded in that moment, Livy. Me and Danny. Forever...."

Livy was touched by Ray's story, the way he smiled when talking about his family. This was the most he had ever shared with her and she was happy to hear him relive this special time. It also made her think that he would be comfortable when....if....she came back with the baby. She was drawn from her thoughts as Ray cleared his throat, as if he was a little embarassed at his emotional recollections.

"Here now, I'll get supper. You be all right?" She nodded. He gently removed his arm from around her and stood up, stretching a bit.
"Let me stoke the fire for you...." he threw a couple of logs on the embers. He turned and smiled, pausing to stroke her hair before he went into the kitchen. She leaned her head back, closed her eyes and listened to him humming to the radio as he put the tea kettle on. She had never been so content in her life, had never felt so nurtured. He was such a good man, and she knew he cared for her some, but she didn't want to be a burden, to make him feel he was duty bound to stay in this marriage. When she came here, she never dreamed she would fall in love with Ray Singleton! Now she can't imagine life without him, without this place, this family. She dreaded the thought of leaving here--and hoped she was strong enough to do so when the time came. Less than two weeks until the train would take her back to Denver. She knew she had to go, knew it would be best for Ray in the end. But she couldn't help wondering what God had planned for the three of them.

to be continued....

From the Nightmare to the Ring...

Previously, I wrote about the afermath of Livy's nightmare--I can't help but wonder what happened in the two weeks from then until she planned to leave.


Chapter 1 Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 23, 1944

Full and content after their delicious dinner, Hank and Ray settled down in the Stewart living room. Ruth was busy in the kitchen finishing the dishes, the boys were playing a game on the floor, and the radio was low. Martha had taken Livy upstairs, insisting she take a short nap. She thought Livy looked unusually tired, and remembered only too well how fatigued you could feel at this stage of pregnancy. Hank dozed off and Ray, his long legs stretched out towards the fire, was thinking about the events of the last couple days.

He thought about what happened when he had given Livy the letter. He had been so angry and hurt to know that Livy had written Edward. Not only that, he felt betrayed that she had not informed him of her marriage. Ray didn't realize that Livy was so unhappy being with him and living on the farm. Was there nothing she liked about him? He felt they had made some progress, and now this letter threatened to destroy the fragile relationship he had been trying to build with Livy. He was sorry about the harsh words they had exchanged yesterday, but he did not regret kissing her. He chewed his lip. He didn't know what to do now. For months, he had tried to show her how he felt about her, that he wanted her in his life. Last night he realized how upset Livy was, having that terrible nightmare. He was glad that he'd been able to comfort her, calm her, and finally get her back to sleep.

Then this morning while her pies were baking, she asked Ray if they could talk. She'd sat at the kitchen table, her hands folded in her lap, rarely looking up at him. She spoke quietly, without that spark she'd had since the first moment he met her. She looked resigned, defeated as she told Ray the whole story...why she had written to Edward and when she had stopped. She also told him what Edward's response had been, and Ray could see the pain and embarrassment this caused her. She asked if he had any questions, and Ray could only shake his head. He noted how pale she was, the shadows under her eyes. It took everything in him to sit and listen to her confession, hurting for her. And he was angry that Edward would dare insinuate that Livy had been promiscuous--what kind of man refused to acknowledge his child?

After she finished, he wanted to find the words to make her feel better. Most of all he wanted to gather her in his arms and hold her, telling her he would make everything all right. But he knew Livy better now, and that she would have to come to that realization on her own. Anything he said to her would only make her feel like he pitied her, that he felt obligated to honor their marriage agreement. The air hung heavy between them, but neither spoke of Edward or the letter again. Ray simply got up, squeezed her shoulders, and fixed her some tea. She rubbed her forehead and seemed relieved that finally, everything was out in the open.

Ray was brought back to the present when he saw Martha coming downstairs. She caught his eye, and motioned for him to join her in the parlor. She was twisting her hands in her lap as Ray sat across from her. He reached over to still her fidgeting.
"Sis? What is it?"
"Ray...I don't want to interfere. But, well, Livy came to see me last night. She was so upset. In fact, we sat right here and talked. She...she told me about the letter." Ray leaned forward in his seat, hands clasped between his knees, and sighed.
"It's ok, sis--she told me everything this morning." Martha let out the breath she had been holding.
"Oh, I am so glad...but what--?"
"I don't know, I don't know what she's gonna do. She's been saying she's going to Denver, to deliver our baby. But...I'm afraid if she does, she'll never come back. I don't think I can stand it if she leaves me." Martha reached over to pat Ray's arm.
"All you can do is show Livy how you feel. Have you told her that you love her?" Ray looked up in surprise, his mouth working, but unable to speak. Martha smiled ruefully.
"I thought as much! Ray, you've done all kinds of things for Livy, but all women want to be reassured of love, need to hear the words. Especially in Livy's case. She's been hurt, betrayed by the people who should have cared most for her. She's bound to be afraid to trust, afraid to give you her heart." Ray nodded. He knew Martha was right, he was just so frustrated! They continued to talk for a bit. After Livy came down from her nap, they stayed long enough for dessert and then headed home to their farm.

As he drove down the road, Ray stole quick glances at Livy. Her face was still flushed from sleep, and she stared out her window, into the night.
"Livy?"
"Hmmm?"
"You warm enough? I don't want you to get chilled, I can--"
"No, Ray, I'm fine....", never looking away from the glass.

As soon as they got back home, Livy said goodnight and went upstairs. Ray banked the fires, then sat at his desk, looking over the books. But it was useless, he couldn't concentrate. He thought back over his talk with Martha. He loved Livy with all his heart, and knew that God meant her to be his wife and mother of his children. He decided then and there that he would do everything he could to make her see that this was where she belonged.

(Pitchin' woo...)
The Friday after Thanksgiving dawned clear and cold. This was the slowest season on the farm, fields were dormant, and the few animals that Ray kept required little attention. Livy had been lost in her book, and it wasn't till late afternoon that she realized Ray had spent most of the day outside. She was a little puzzled, but after supper it became apparent what he had been up to.

Livy had just finished the dishes when she heard something outside. Leaning over the sink, she peered out the window into the dusk just as Ray pulled up to the house. She let out a squeal, quickly untying her apron when she saw what was waiting in the yard! Ray came through the door, knocking snow off his boots, a grin on his face.
"Come on, Liv! Let's go for a sleigh ride!" She laughed, going to get her coat, hat and gloves.
"Hold on, now..." Ray chuckled at her impatience when he insisted on bundling her into one of his heavy coats. As he helped her up into the sleigh, the horses were pawing the ground, their breath coming in soft, steamy snorts. They were anxious to go, and Livy was so excited! The horses took off at a trot, the bells on their harnesses jingling. It seemed like the sleigh was weightless as the runners glided over the snow, and the full moon made the night magical.

Ray reached across Livy and tucked a blanket closer around her legs. He wrapped his arm around her, and drawing her close, took the reins in hand again.
"Hey there, we can't have you getting cold!" His heart skipped, seeing her shining eyes and delighted smile, knowing he had made her happy.
"Oh, Ray, thank you for doing this! It's beautiful out tonight!"
"I thought you'd enjoy it--it's kind of a tradition--daddy'd always take mama out for a ride to celebrate the first snow of the season." As they crossed over the fields, Ray leaned closer to make comments now and then.
"See those lights over there? That's the Cooper place. Hard to believe we can see it from here, but it being so clear and all...And there? That's the lumberyard way out on Chestnut Road...." He even pointed out some of the constellations in the sky. Livy was just content to be cuddled safe and warm beside him as they continued their ride.

When they got back, Ray lifted her from the sleigh and saw her safely into the house before taking care of the rig. By the time he was finished getting the animals settled for the night, Livy had changed into her soft flannel gown and robe. She was just getting mugs out of the cupboard when Ray came back inside the kitchen. He sniffed the air when he hung up his coat, smiling at her as he rolled his sleeves to wash up.
"Mmm...I was thinking that some hot cocoa would hit the spot right now!"
"Well, I was thinking that was probably what your mama would do!" She turned from the stove to smile back at him. They took their cocoa into the living room, and sat side by side on the sofa. After a spell, Ray took Livy's mug from her and set it on the table beside him.
"Cm'ere...." He gently pulled her towards him, turning her slightly so she could stretch out across his lap.
"This seemed to help last night, and if it keeps you relaxed, we oughtta make it a habit, right?" She gave a low murmur of relief as he began to gently rub her back. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to slip her hand into his, resting her head in the crook of his arm. For the longest time, neither of them spoke, content just to be together in front of the fire. As they watched the logs crackle and hiss, there were sparks of hope flaring in two hearts.

to be continued...

Hand of God (Final Installment)

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?


Like many people who have viewed the Hand of God episode, I have given plenty of thought to some hidden meaning behind Tommy, the darkness, the voice, Chad Goodwell, God is Nowhere, and God is Now Here. And, as you could probably tell through my other installments, I didn’t take things so lightly. In fact, I think it took less time for me to research and write my Master’s thesis!

In the Hand of God episode, we are brought to a world that is extremely difficult to understand. As I stated in an earlier installment, there is a very deep structure to it. There is so much to piece together that I was constantly looking for signs of how things were connected and how to interpret those connections. For example, all the blood, the rain, the thunder, the lightning, the church bells, the hemography files, the music (Apple of Sodom), the characters, the dreams, the murders, Sodalitas Quaerito, and let’s not forget, Mango! (By the way, for those of you who didn’t catch the episode…Mango was a nickname given to Alva by his mom when he was a young boy. Alva told Paul that Mango was a bloodhound from a children’s book.)



According to Tommy, the “darkness” wants everything. That’s what led me to think of the quote, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (This quote is from the New Testament of the Bible, Mark 8:36.) By gaining everything, the darkness is trapped within its own prison. It can never leave this dark realm but it can find ways to continue the pattern of evil by bargaining for the souls of others.

Chad Goodwell is one such example of a person who lost his soul to evil. When he was unable to satiate evil with the murder of Kenneth Webster, he surrendered his soul and entered the realm of perpetual darkness. I think that “the voice” he heard was evil pretending to be God and that’s how he was trapped. No way out!

That leads to another thought. Why these six people? I think these six people have been receiving messages/signs that mention Paul Callan because there is someone who is trying to reach him. Couldn't that person be his father? Isn't it possible that his father bargained with evil and is trapped within the realm of its darkness? Isn’t it possible that Paul has been chosen to save him? There's much to think about.


Thank you for giving me the floor for this episode. I know it was a difficult one to muddle through, and the dark nature of it may not have been as entertaining as some other fare. I believe that this episode is key to the story arc of the Miracles series which so much of us enjoy. So, hopefully it’s been worth the effort.

A very special “thank you” goes to Skeetrfan for all her encouragement to persevere through this episode.

Skeet Dreams, everyone!

P.S. By the way, Skeet enjoyed New Jersey very much. I'll tell you two things...we danced to "Jersey Girl" sung by Bruce Springsteen; and, before he left, I let Skeet plant some beans in my garden; afterall, this is the Garden State!

Hand of God (Installment #6)

Episode Six: Hand of God



Installment #6: Darkness, Reign O’er Me



Ode to the Young Man

He enters like the darkness in an unlit room
Bringing only things that lead to his doom.
There may have been a time when he had tried
To stop all those harms that led him to die.

But there was no one calling from the other side
To reach up for the light.
So nothing could prevent him
From taking this hellish flight.

Each plan was made, the traps set well
There was no better way to enter hell.
His cry was heard at the very end
Sadly, his parents’ pain may never mend.

He would yell out…

Hate me, oh please, hate me some more,
I never want to find the way to open up this door.
Hate me, oh please, I need to feel the pain.
I made a deal with the devil
Now I live under his reign.



Lost in the world of consequences for bad decisions, our young man becomes a sympathetic character. The poem above is an attempt to perceive his turmoil.
It is less complicated to understand the reason “Apple of Sodom” was used as the backdrop in this episode when we juxtapose the journey of the young man with some of the lyrics of the song. It’s all familiar…temptation, wrongdoing, coveting things you cannot have, feeding the fire…selling your soul! Never a happy ending when dealing or bargaining with evil…no matter what precious form it takes… “a beautiful but rotten fruit.” One bite provides the poison that is the key to eternal despair and doom. (Good Grief! Or should it be, Bad Grief?)


The next scene opens with Paul blankly staring ahead while the hospital doctor cleans his facial wounds. The doctor explains that the iron that was used to hit him and Mr. Webster was made of graphite, thus being at least three pounds lighter than the irons of yesteryear. Paul, concerned about Mr. Webster, asks how he is doing. He finds out that Mr. Webster is in intensive care and is alive because of him.

On his way out, Paul decides to check in on Mr. Webster. As he stands in the doorway, he looks as if he is pondering something. His hand covers his mouth; then suddenly, he walks over to the snoring Kenneth Webster, briskly whips out a pillow from behind his back, and begins to suffocate him! Mr. Webster struggles the best he can to fight him off, but to no avail. Paul eagerly watches the vital stats on the monitor as they weaken and whispers to him, “Let go…”

Just as the flat lines appear on the monitor, the attending doctor storms into the room to stop Paul from killing Mr. Webster.

Then the scene switches back to Paul standing in the doorway with his hand over his mouth. (Whew! We knew he didn’t have it in him!)

Next, we’re taken to the office of Sodalitas Quaerito. Alva is sitting on the steps reading when he hears the door open. He lifts his head to find Paul entering the room and walking toward him. After telling Paul that it was healthy he had taken a few days off, he comments about the young man’s suicide. He asks if there was any conversation between them before he killed himself. (A little self-conscious here? Or just curious?)
When Paul tells him there was some conversation between them, Alva immediately asks what was said. But, Paul, obviously not willing to reveal the details, tells Alva, “Nothing. He was out of his mind.” (Suspicious minds here.)

The question now is whether Paul wishes to remain with Sodalitas Quaerito. Paul tells Alva straightforward that he hasn’t made the decision to stay. Then, he asks Alva…”So what have you got?”

The episode ends with the two men discussing the details of a Roshi from Rhode Island who levitates.

My Thoughts…

Journeys. Paul Callan has certainly been on a roller coaster ride that is even longer, faster, and more frightening than Millennium Force at Cedar Point Amusement Park.
I find it truly amazing how resilient he is throughout this episode. There seems to be so much pain in so many forms for all of the characters. Yet, like a true hero, Paul is on a journey to find meaning in his life; and, along the way faces many challenges that test his willingness to question, to conquer, or to just accept things the way they are.

Your Thoughts…
· Other than the fact that Paul may not trust Alva, why would he withhold the details of the conversation he had with Chad Goodwell?
· Why doesn’t Alva have the names of the three other people who are “out there?”
· This episode is very “Paul” centered. What are your thoughts about Skeet’s portrayal of his character? How does one prepare for something like this?

*Screen Caps by Skeetrfan.

Next installment…The Wrap-Up.

First Anniversary

First Anniversary

After breakfast Ray had a habit of filling his thermos with coffee, and then filling up a mug and taking it outside to the veranda. He liked to watch the day begin, see the sun rise, listen to the rooster crowing, observe how much this crop or that crop was growing while reflecting on  what he had to do that day. Sometimes he would sit on the bench, but most mornings he just stood at the rail and looked out at their farm. On the occasion that he would sit on the bench he found that it was too far back against the wall for him to have a good look at the land he loves so much.

Sometimes Livy would join him, and he loved that. She had not been in the habit of getting up early before Daniel was born, but now by the time Ray was ready to go to the barn or the fields Daniel would have had his first meal of the day, and then he would have his morning nap so Livy would come out and spend time with him. They both treasured this time together because if Ray had to work in the fields all day they would not see each other till supper time.

Livy had not joined him yet this morning, so Ray was thinking of his plans of a surprise on their first wedding anniversary. Ray knew that he and Livy loved each other now, and he wanted them to renew their vows. Their wedding last year was definitely arranged, but now that they loved each other Ray wanted to express that with a renewal of their vows.

A couple of days ago he had asked Rev Case about being able to renew their vows. Rev Case’s eyebrows raised with surprise and he said, ‘Well now, you two seem to be getting along quite well.’ Ray nodded, smiled and said, ‘Umhm.’ Rev Case said he would be happy to officiate. Ray asked Rev Case not to tell Livy, he wanted it to be a surprise. ‘Well,’ Rev Case had said, ‘I hope you can pull it off!’

Just then Livy came out on the veranda which startled Ray. She said, ‘Sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you.’

Ray said, ‘No, no, that’s okay. I was just lost in my thoughts is all.’

Livy didn’t enquire about his thoughts because she sensed that he seemed reluctant to reveal them. Probably just farm stuff, she thought, and he knew how little she knew about that! They each talked about what their plans were for the day, hugged, and kissed each other warmly, and each went their own way.

Back in the house Livy got busy with her own daily activities. As she did her housework she was especially excited about a plan she was working on as a surprise for their first wedding anniversary. She knew how Ray liked to go out on the veranda each morning to sip his coffee and reflect on the days activities, and that he usually stood at the rail rather than sit on the bench. Whenever she sat on the bench she noticed that the rail cut off the view.  She also noted how uncomfortable the bench was when they both came out to the veranda to read, or just sitting and chatting, enjoying each others company. She thought it would be a wonderful idea if they had a swing for the veranda. It could be set up so that it was closer to the rail, therefore giving them a better view. Livy was going to get a mattress and make pillows to make it more comfortable.

Livy  had already made a sketch of how she wanted it to look, and then she measured all aspects of the veranda on a day when she knew that Ray would be out working in the fields. Her next step was to ask Hank if he knew someone who could build it for her, and for him to keep it a secret. Her biggest problem was how to hide it until their first anniversary.  She laughed to herself when she thought of this big thing sitting out in the yard covered up with tarp, and her telling Ray not to look!  Somehow she had to get Ray away from the farm on their anniversary day so that it could be set up.

Ray talked to Martha about the renewal of his and Livy’s vows. Martha looked like she was going to cry when he told her. She said that she was very happy for him and Livy, and that this was a testament to how he felt about her. And Ray assured her that Livy loved him in return.

Ray said, ‘I have never done anything like this before, and wonder if you could help me.’

Martha said, ‘Sure! What do you need?’

‘Well,’ Ray said, ‘First of all it is a secret.’

‘Oh!’ Martha laughed, ‘Well, that might take a bit of doing to keep it a secret!’

‘I know,’ Ray said, ‘But that is what I want. I would like you to do us the honour of being our matron of honour, and if Hank would be our best man again.’

‘I don’t even have to ask him, we would love to,’ Martha said.

‘I knew you would help. Thanks, sis. And another thing,’ Ray said, ‘I would like Ruth to be a bridesmaid.’

‘Oh, my goodness, she will absolutely love that! But what about Daniel? Who will look after him?’ Martha asked.

‘Well,’ said Ray, ‘I was thinkin’ ‘bout asking Hank Jr. I know, he’s not as experienced as Ruth, but it will only be for a short while. And I was thinkin’ ‘bout asking Chester to help out by getting Livy’s attention somehow so she doesn’t go into the church too soon.’

Martha thought, wow, he’s really thought this through! Must have been when he was on the tractor for hours at a time! ‘Sure, we could find some way for Chester to get her attention for a few minutes,’ she said.

‘Good!’ a relieved Ray said.

A couple of days later when Ray saw Martha she said  Hank Jr. would  look after Daniel for a short period of time.  And she said that Chester had come up with his own idea of a way to distract Livy when they arrived at the church. He said he could show her the flowers he had planted in the church flower beds during the spring.  Ray smiled. He knew how Livy loved flowers, a passion passed on to her from her mother, and that this was a very good idea Chester had come up with. Ray worried that Livy might not like his surprise.

Martha said, ‘I was thinking, how are you going to get Livy to the church? And you would probably want her in a nice dress. How did you plan on telling her to dress nice?’

‘Wow! Never got that far yet!’, said Ray, ‘Thanks for thinking of that, and for giving me more problems to work out,’ he said with a smile.

Livy contacted Hank about the swing, and about who could make it, deliver it, and hang it up, and how much it would cost. Livy had the money for the swing, and she didn’t even have to hold back money from the household money Ray gave her.  Livy’s mother had always set aside money for her education, and since her mother knew that in the summer of 1944 Livy wanted to go on an excavation trip to the city of Troy as part of her studies, she had been saving money for that, too.  After her mother died, and then Livy got pregnant and was sent away, the money had just sat in a bank account.

When her dad finally took the time to settle his wife’s accounts he mentioned the money to Abby, and asked her what they could do with it. Abby said that it was for Livy’s education. Her father was adamant that Livy should not receive it after the shame she brought to the family. Abby said firmly that Livy should get the money, it was intended for her, and so they were at an impasse.

Finally, after a year, her father relented and had Abby send the money to her in mid June 1945. It arrived at the exact perfect moment, remembered Livy! Now she had the money for the swing! She said a prayer of thanks to her mother for looking out for her.  Livy also reflected that if her mother had lived she would have loved Ray as her son-in-law. Livy smiled at the thought of how well her mother and Ray would have gotten along. Ray was interested in farming and planting crops, and her mother loved planting and tending her flowers. And then a sadness came over her as she realized what a wonderful grandmother her mom would have been to Daniel.

As the anniversary approached, Ray and Livy were separately busy with their surprise agendas totally oblivious as to what the other was doing! There were a few times when one or the other almost let their plan slip, but managed to cover up and keep it secret.

A couple if days before their anniversary Ray told Livy that they were invited over to Martha’s for dinner with her family, and, by the way, he asked her to wear her new dress. Livy was a little disappointed because she was planning to cook a nice meal for Ray at home. I guess men don’t get that it is the married couples event, not a family affair!  Livy kind of muttered to herself, oh, well, Martha was a better cook anyway!

The plans for the swing were going well, and now that Ray told her they were going to Martha’s for dinner it made the plan even better! She told the guy that was building the swing that they would be away from the house from about 3:00 in the afternoon till about 9:00 that evening, therefore giving him plenty of time to deliver and set the swing up.

On the day of their anniversary Livy and Ray got ready to go to Martha’s. She was surprised when Ray was wearing his suit. She said, ‘Ray, why are you wearing your suit?’ And he had said, ‘Oh, uh since we didn’t get pictures taken on our wedding day, Martha wants to take pictures of us today on our first anniversary.’

‘Oh!’, she said with surprise in her voice. ‘That’s nice!’ said Livy with a smile for Ray. He loved it when she smiled at him like that, it made him want her, but all he could do right now was to kiss her, and it wasn’t just a peck on the cheek or a light brush of their lips, it was full of love and passion. Livy said, ‘Ray, we have to go now, but I really don’t want to now that you kissed me like that,’ and she blushed.

‘Uh, I know,’ he said, ‘Do you think we have time for a quick one?’

‘No!’, she said laughing.

‘Okay, if you’re sure about that then,’ and he raised his eyebrows in question, ‘I guess we better get going,’ Ray said. ‘Oh, yeah, we have to stop at the church for a few minutes, Martha wanted me to pick a few of the flowers that Chester planted last spring to bring over to the house.’

Livy thought this was odd, Martha had plenty of flowers at her house, maybe there were different ones at the church than she had at home.

When they arrived at the church they saw the Reverend’s wife on the step with Chester. ‘Oh,’ she said when she saw them, ‘I want to see Daniel!’

Ray and Livy exchanged questioning glances, but decided to take him out of the truck. Ray said, ‘I’ll take Daniel to her, you go with Chester to get the flowers.’

After Chester and Livy had picked the flowers they came around the front of the church. Mrs Case, Daniel and Ray were no where to be seen. Chester said, ‘Maybe they went into the church.’

Livy looked at him. ‘What’s going on?’ she thought.

Chester handed the flowers to her and said, ‘Lets go in and see.’

Chester put his hand on her arm as if to guide her into the church vestibule. When he opened the inside door to the church Livy’s jaw dropped. Already at the front of the church was Reverend Case, and his wife was sitting at the organ. As she and Chester entered Mrs Chase started to play a hymn. On the right just in front of Reverend Case was Hank and Ray. Ray had the biggest smile on his face that she had ever seen. In a pew on the right was Hank Jr with Daniel.

On the left side of the church at the front was Martha and a beaming Ruth! There were two women in the pews on the left that Livy couldn’t immediately identify. Chester started to walk her up the aisle, and the two women stood up and turned toward her. Livy, in shock and surprise said, ‘Oh, my God!’ Tears were already in her eyes when she saw Ray and his family, but the tears came down when she saw Abby and Dot. She could barely walk, and Chester was there to help her. As she neared Abby and Dot, they stepped out into the aisle and hugged her.

Chester then took her to the front of the church to stand beside Ray.  She was so emotional and overwhelmed by what Ray had arranged for them that Ray had to give her a hug. She stayed snugly wrapped in his loving arms until he was assured that she was okay.  She finally was able to say very quietly, ‘Thank you.’ He looked at her and said, ‘You’re welcome. Are you all right?’
Livy nodded yes. ‘All right, then,’ said Ray quietly, and he kept his arm around her waist for support, ‘We’ll let Reverend Case take it from here.’

Since this was a renewal of their vows, and they now loved each other, the words the minister said had a special significance this time. Ray had bought Livy a beautiful wedding band, so she took her diamond ring off for a moment while he put the wedding band on her finger, and then put the diamond ring back on. And when it was time for the kiss, they did it this time, no awkward glances. Ray and Livy turned toward each other, looked lovingly into each other eyes, and put their arms around each other. It was a beautiful kiss, no tongue, but sincere, and sweet, and not to icky for the boys to see. It spoke of the love and respect and caring they had for each other. After the kiss they gave each other a hug. The women were smiling and crying, and the men were trying to make it look like they weren’t affected by what just happened.

Reverend Case said, ‘With the renewal of their vows, may I present to you Mr and Mrs Ray Singleton.’ Everyone applauded, and Hank Jr helped Daniel clap his hands. He thought that was fun and giggled. Livy smiled at their son. Ray took Daniel so that Livy could greet her guests. She thanked them all for their contribution to Ray’s and her day, and said a special thank you to Abby and Dot for coming such a long way. They both said, you’re welcome, and that they were happy to be there for her and Ray.

On the way over to Martha and Hank’s, Livy asked Ray about inviting Abby and Dot. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘When I started planning this renewal of our vows, I thought you might like to have a family member present.’

‘Thank you,’ Livy said, ‘That was very thoughtful of you, Ray.’

Ray nodded. ‘And,’ he said, ‘When you told me about missing your friend Dot, I wrote and asked Abby to invite her. I was very happy when they said they could come.’

‘How did you find out they could come?’ Livy asked.

‘Well, when I wrote to Abby, I had enclosed an envelope from a farm machinery place, and had it addressed to me so you wouldn’t open it,’ Ray told her.  They both laughed!

As usual, Martha had prepared a fabulous meal that was enjoyed by all. There was lots of talk and laughter around the supper table about the days events. Before they got up from the table Ray thanked everyone for their part in making this a memorable day for him and Livy. They moved the conversation to the living room, and continued talking and laughing about each others contributions to the day, and the support they had given each other. There was a universal feeling that this is what families do for each other.

Livy wanted to talk to Dot, but knew that this was not the time and place. Martha had invited Abby and Dot to stay at their house for the night to give Ray and Livy some time alone. Martha had even arranged that Daniel would stay overnight, too, so Livy pumped some milk for his evening feed.

On the drive home Livy sat right beside Ray. They had smiles on there faces for each other that just wouldn’t fade. They talked about the day, and Livy thanked Ray for arranging such a beautiful service for them. They both knew how they felt last year. They had never met and there was no guarantee that they would even still be together in a year. They felt so much more for each other in that year than they ever thought they could.

Ray asked Livy when she thought she knew she was in love or falling in love with him. Livy said, ‘I know for the first few months I never gave it much thought because I figured I would be moving back to Denver after the baby was born. But the longer I stayed, the more I felt that this could be my baby’s and my home. I couldn’t tell you the exact moment, but before Edwards letter arrived there sure were some feelings beginning to happen, but it wasn’t until the day of Daniel’s birth that I really knew for sure. And what about you, Ray? When did you know you loved me?

Ray cleared his throat and said, ‘I know it didn’t happen right away, but, same as you, slowly over time as we got more familiar with each other I began to have stronger feelings for you. I for sure knew by the time I gave you the ring, but the exact date, not sure. I just knew that I loved you.’ Love had bloomed for them both and it was wonderful!

When they got home it was still a bit light out, and Ray looked quizzically at the veranda. He said, ‘What’s that on the veranda?’

Livy pleaded innocence and said, ‘I don’t know, guess we’ll have to go check it out.’

Ray looked at her and saw a mischevious smile on her face. ‘You know, don’t you?’ said Ray.

‘I’m not telling,’ she said.

They got out of the truck and walked toward the house. Tears came to Ray’s eyes as he realized what was there. It was a swing! And it was beautiful! ‘Livy,’ was all Ray could manage to say, he was so emotional. ‘Did you do this?’

‘Well, I didn’t make it, if that’s what you mean,’ said Livy laughing.

Ray went closer and inspected the swing, and as he was doing so he saw something on the floor of the veranda, and said, ‘And what’s this?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Livy, ‘What are you looking at?’

He pointed it out to her. There on the floor of the veranda was a child sized swing! Livy was amazed! There was enough wood left over to make a swing for Daniel! They looked up at the ceiling of the veranda and there were three hooks in the ceiling so that Daniel could be at one end of the swing or the other, or right in the middle! They were both pleased by the extra gift.

Ray hugged Livy so tight she thought she was going to become a part of him. He kissed her over and over. He said he’s the happiest man in the world, with the most beautiful wife, and the handsomest son.  And then he started to cry. He had prayed for a wife and children, and he still could not believe that his prayers were answered so well. He asked Livy to say a prayer with him, and sitting on their new swing, they bowed their heads and prayed.  Livy had not been there to put the mattress and cushions out, so she went to get them. They enjoyed the view, the comfort of the swing, and found that they could easily put their feet up on the rail!

When they went to bed that night, they undressed each other slowly, kissing each other all over. Then they got under the covers and the kissing continued, and their hands were all over each other, working themselves up to ecstasy. Livy parted her legs and Ray knew she was ready. They started making love, and neither of them wanted it to end, but eventually it had to, and they lay wrapped in each others arms for as long as they could. They kissed again and again, and professed their love to each other.  Eventually they fell asleep in each others arms.

The 64 million $ question

Hot off the presses-- this week's issue of the Skeet weekly magazine.

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Fun and Frisky Friday to all!

Hand of God (Installment #5)

Episode Six: Hand of God

Installment #5: Darkness, Reign O’er Me



On the road again…this time to Estacada, Oregon

In the steady flow of rain, Paul’s car comes out of the dark and drives into what seems… the middle of nowhere. (A little take on Rod Serling here.) Actually, he has arrived at Kenneth Webster’s home. Once out of the car, he confirms Ken’s address by glancing at his little piece of paper. Determined, he walks up to the door and knocks. As the door swings open, Paul believes he is saying hello to Mr. Webster (we know otherwise), so he introduces himself and asks if he could come in.

“There he was…the killer, waiting with anxious eyes!
Different victim, different place, different weapon…same plan.
And now this intruder has come to spoil it all!”

He stands silent and stares at Paul while holding the weapon in his hand.

As Paul enters the house, our young man mysteriously gazes at him in awe. “So, you’re Paul Callan,” he says. Certainly, he must be thinking, “Well, I’m not who you think I am.” But he never lets on that he is not Kenneth Webster. (An interesting thought here...evil certainly has a cunning way of deceiving a person, especially when that person is so close to discovering its identity.)

Suddenly the door opens again. This time, the real Kenneth Webster enters his home and is astonished to see two men standing in his living room. In an instant, like a psychotic employee at a laundromat, our youngster ‘sucker-punches’ Paul in the face with the iron to keep him from interfering with his mission.

Ouch!

Boy, did Kenny come home at the wrong time!

As Paul comes back to consciousness, we see blood gushing from a gruesome gash in his gorgeous face. In the background, the sounds of the hostile attack on Mr. Webster can be heard. It’s one smash of the iron for every word the youngster utters.
(“I- told- you- we- don’t- use- imported- starch- when- we- hand- press- your- shirts!”) (Of course, he really didn't say this.)

Poor Mr. Webster!

Once again, Paul crashes the party for our way-beyond-reach teen by throwing him and the bloody iron up against the wall. In return, Paul gets a knee in the stomach and his face slammed on the stovetop. (Big ouch!)

Too bad for our young man that he infuriates Paul because the rumble turns into a scene from a night at the WWF ring.

(Paul’s thinking, “You’re goin’ down boy!”)

Practically breathless, (hmm…) Paul glances over at Mr. Webster who is struggling to stay alive. Realizing that there’s a chance to save this man’s life, he calls for help on his cell phone.

Once the police arrive at the scene, the guys are cuffed and taken into custody. They sit in the back seat of the police car looking beat up and dejected. The young murderer reveals to Paul that both Tommy and the voice come to him.

(Oh dear, hopefully not his mother’s voice!)

Paul interrupts inquisitively, “A voice told you to do all this?”

Next, he tells Paul that just like him, he saw the words, “God is Now Here” written in his blood. This led him to believe that it was God’s voice telling him to kill these people. In an unconvinced-sounding discourse that attempts to piece this all together and justify the missions, he is now more confused than ever. Afterall, wasn't he one of the “good ones?”

Paul looks horrified as he is told that there were nine people (not six) who saw the words all wrong…they saw “God is Nowhere.” He learns that it was Tommy who referred to those people as “The Darkness.” (How much more can our Paul take?)

In this whirlwind of confusion, the rain looks like red droplets of blood as it falls on the windows of the police car seemingly reflecting the anger the darkness feels for a failed mission.

The sounds of Marilyn Manson follow the boys as they are led into the police station. Everything is happening in slow motion as these *“blood brothers” are photographed and fingerprinted. Having too much pressure to endure, our young man snatches the gun from the police officer’s holster and slurs, “Now it’s up to you, Paul.” His remaining sense of right and wrong, seriously clouded by the darkness of his deeds, only knows one way to end his despair. So, he aims the gun at his head and pulls the trigger.

Perhaps the rain wasn’t red because the darkness was angry.
Maybe it was red because the darkness was hungry.

*There’s a line from the song “No Surrender” by Bruce Springsteen that I played over and over in my mind when I thought of the scene above. Although the song, itself, has nothing to do with the subject matter of this episode; the line, when taken out of its original context, seems fitting when applied to this context. Again… "Now it’s up to you Paul."

Here’s the line…

“Blood brothers in the stormy night with a vow to defend, no retreat, no surrender.”

My Thoughts…

When I first viewed this episode and heard the eerie background music, I had to find out the title of the song and read the lyrics in order to figure out why it was chosen. So, I did some surfing and found the answer on the Miracles HQ message board. The title of the song is “Apple of Sodom” and it is written and performed by Marilyn Manson. (For those of you who are not familiar with this artist, he’s a male. Usually, he has two different color contacts in his eyes, wears black lipstick, and…Well, I don’t want to spoil it for you so go ahead, google his name to find out more, if you dare or even care.)

The parts of the song that are played in this episode are below:

Take this from me, (hate me, hate me,)

Take this from me, (hate me, hate me,)

1, 2, 3, he is a speed bump mannequin,

1, 2, 3, he can't move just stand still,

1, 2, 3, he is a speed bump mannequin,1, 2, 3,

he can't move just stand still,

I've got something you can never eat,

I've got something you can never eat,

I've got something you can never eat

FYI

I also found the following information on the site mentioned below:

Apple of Sodom is the fruit of a medieval mythical tree. In the Manson song of the same name it’s a symbol of despair. The Apple of Sodom is also an idiom that means “appearances are deceitful; a beautiful but rotten fruit.”
http://www.nachtkabarett.com/occult/occult.html#sodom

Your Thoughts…

As we come to find out in later episodes, the young man’s name is Chad Goodwell. He’s a 19-year-old college student who lives away from home. (Gee, I have one of them, too!) As a parent, I know that once my son is away at school, he’s pretty much on his own. How he manages his time and deals with all the pressures of coursework and the outside influences that surround him are issues he is up against. (All parents hope for the best.)


Keeping that in mind…

• How do you think Chad got involved with all this? Is he on a spiritual journey just like Paul? Was he “chosen” as Alva puts it? Did he join some cult on campus?

• More importantly, do you think there is some inherent relationship between Paul and Chad throughout this episode? Why would his character have such a prominent role?

• Finally, how is it that Chad knows all the hemography information?

Seeds of the Earth

Credit is shared with others here as I tried to keep the story in line with the movie. This has gone through numerous revisions, even to the last minute. Thank you to Kay, MJ and Jecorbin for the help and the inspiration here.

And to those who take their time to review and comment, thank you! I speak for everyone who write here, it does inspire and challenge us to come up with unique and fun materials for the TMoOD fans of this site.

****************
Seeds of the earth
Part 2 of 2

The week of the harvest festival was upon the community of Wilson. Despite the prevailing war, this tradition may have become a bit subdued but not forgotten. The farmers are thankful for the good harvest and the prosperity the industry had been experiencing. The bustle in the Singleton farm is slowing down; they start to prepare for the winter season. This week, they will congregate to celebrate this year’s harvest.

Late that Saturday afternoon, Ray and Livy met the Stewarts at the barn. There were chairs lined up in front of a makeshift theater. Hank Jr. and Chester were going to perform with other town children in a local production traditionally held during harvest time. The boys spent weeks practicing their lines and are very excited about the play. There were many townsfolk who were already inside. Ray and Livy found Martha waving at them about three rows behind the front of the stage. She had saved them seats behind her. Ray directed Livy to their seats. Martha is beside herself worried in anticipation of the boys’ performance. Hank is in the back helping with the boys’ needs. Ray sat behind Martha next to the middle aisle. They all have a good view of the stage. Ray touched Martha’s shoulders, silently assuring her that the boys will be just fine.

Ruth, who was sitting in front of Livy, excitedly turned to ask Livy, ‘Aunt Livy, did you see my dance performance this morning?’

Livy smiled and replied ‘Yes, Ruth, I didn’t know you were with the dance group here. ‘You danced really well’ Ruth was happy that Livy liked it.

Ray looks at Livy, he knows that Livy feels demurely embarrassed when Ruth puts her on a pedestal. Livy was indeed blushing and she turned her eyes on her lap smiling. Ray smiled and moved his right arm behind Livy, drew her towards him and whispered ‘I think your opinion means the most to her’. Livy blushed even more.

Right before the play started, a woman came by searching for an empty seat close to where they were sitting. The place was full, many were already standing on the side and in the back walls. Ray tapped the woman’s shoulders and offered her his seat. He signals to Livy that he will be close by. Livy nodded.

By the time the play started, the place was packed. It seems like the children’s play is highly supported by the town’s families and friends. Livy concluded that no wonder Martha was anxiously anticipating the play to get started. She’s nervous for the boys.

She glances over to where Ray was standing. He had his arms folded in front of him and was comfortably leaning by the wall with the other people who ran out of seats. He glanced at her, nodded and mouthed an ’are you all right?’ question to her. She nods. They both smiled. The woman next to her who got Ray’s seat interrupted their silent conversation ’Is that your husband?’, Livy says ’Uh, yes ma‘am, he is’ Livy was not used to being asked that question. ’He’s such a fine man to give me his seat’ the woman added. Livy nods in agreement ’Thank you’, and Livy sits back on her seat as the play started.

During the play, Livy thought about the events of the day. It was such a memorable day to her. She didn’t expect this celebration to be what it was. She’s missed mingling with people and she enjoyed every minute of it. Livy learned a lot, Ray had showed her many new things. Their day started by going to church and then to the town hall where they usually have potlucks. The tables were placed to the side where the many farmers had their crops on display, most of them traded. Ray didn’t have a table but he brought in a few boxes of their crops from the farm to trade. They call this the Harvest Jam. Ray mentioned that maybe next year both of them can participate. For now, they took up checking the many vegetables and fruits from the tables.

Ray had turned his attention to a crowd gathering around one of the tables. He motioned for Livy to come with him. ‘Ah, this is the best time to try peaches, Livy’ Ray showing her the direction with his hand.

As they approach, Jake Hansen held out a basket, ’Help yourself Ray, picked them myself this morning! Best ones of the season!’ the farmer told Ray. Ray squeezes the farmer’s shoulder ’Looks good, we’ll definitely try it, thank you Jake’.

He takes one and holding it offers a bite to Livy first. Livy felt a little awkward, gives Ray a doubtful look, but at his urging takes a bite from the peach. As soon as she did, the juice drips. Ray catches it with his fingers, laughing with her then, grabs a hanky from his pocket, and offers it to her.

’This is very sweet, Ray, it’s really good’ as she proceeded to wipe her chin.

‘Your turn to taste it’ Livy says teasingly. Ray willingly took a hearty bite into the peach. Livy flittingly wiped Ray’s mouth with his hanky. She suddenly holds back, blushes and hands the hanky to a smiling Ray.

‘I told you.’ Ray and Livy suddenly turn their attention when they noticed a little girl eating a peach with gusto, not caring that the juice ran all over her dress. They both chuckled when the girl’s Mom sighs in exasperation as she tries to interrupt her eating so she can clean her up.

’I wish it’s a little easier to eat, Ray’ she smiles. ’That’s the fun of it, Livy’ Ray smiled back as they finish eating their peach.

Soon after, they went over to where Martha was busy tending to the number of entries to the pie contest. She was going to be one of the judges. It was the first time Livy had seen a pie contest, she enjoyed the care and attention all the contestants put on their pies. It seems fun and Livy planned to master a good recipe by next year.

After a relaxing lunch, they head on outside where there were a few games with prizes. They see Hank with the boys in one of the game stands. Hank had a baseball on his hand and was about to hit a target on the far wall when he spots the couple approaching. He was hitting some but not enough to win something for the boys. Hank calls out ‘Hey, Ray, want to try and see if you are better with this?’

Chester runs over to Ray ‘Please, Uncle Ray, I wanted that model fighter plane over there but Daddy needs to hit 10 of those’. Livy saw the desperation in Chester when he started to tug at Ray’s shirt. Hank hands over the baseball to Ray,

‘How many more do you need?’ Ray asks Hank.

‘Four more but I am running out of those to throw. My target‘s a little off, it’s not as easy as you think, those are pretty far and small, you know.’ Ray was rolling the ball in his hand,

‘I’ll try, but no promises boys’. He positions himself like a pitcher ready to throw a ball. Ray didn’t blink and kept his eyes on the target, threw the ball and hit the target square on. The boys were jumping for joy.

‘All right!, do it again, Uncle Ray, do it again!’ Hank Jr. and Chester were so ecstatic. Livy and Hank were clapping their hands. Livy didn’t know Ray could play ball. In a few minutes, Ray had hit the required number of targets, so Chester got his toy plane.

‘Thank you, Uncle Ray!’ Ray mussed Chester’s hair and said ‘Anytime, Chester’ Ray chuckled, happy that he didn’t disappoint him.

Martha’s ‘Oh!’ interrupted Livy’s thoughts as Martha turned around to tell Livy that the boys’ lengthy dialogue is coming up. She leans forward and sat straighter to get a better view of the boys on stage. Alternately, Ray and Livy makes passing glances at each other. The boys delivered their lines so well and clear that Martha was beaming with pride. After the play, they all stood up to applaud the performers. Hank had peeked from the back of the curtains and lovingly scanned for Martha and waves proudly at her. She eagerly waves back at him, both glad that the boys did very well. Everyone started to leave and Livy strained to see where Ray had gone. He was coming to meet her at her seat.

She and Ray hugged Martha, congratulating her on the boys’ performance.
‘I am so relieved, Hank Jr. is a little shy and I was worried he would forget his lines, but he was so good tonight. I am so happy.’

Ray and Livy both smiled and nodded in agreement.

‘I need to go meet Hank and the boys and see how they are doing at the back. Livy, how are you doing? I’m sorry I didn’t get to see you all day. Are you having a good time?‘ Livy understood, ‘Oh, Martha, no worries, it‘s been a great day. I know you are busy with the kids and the festival.’

‘Where are you both headed to?’ Martha signing her question through the din of the crowd and added,

‘You come by at the house either tonight or Sunday, make sure ok?’

‘We’ll be around, tell the boys they were brilliant’ Ray responded.

‘We‘ll see you later?’ Martha was too excited she’s talking a mile a minute.
Ray and Livy nodded with a smile.

Martha beckoned Ruth to go with her. ‘Bye’ both chimed in unison. Ray and Livy waved at them.

Ray and Livy followed the crowd outside. It was a clear evening as they started to take a walk around town. There were many people still walking in the streets.

‘Are you tired, Livy? Do you want to call it a day?’ Ray asks her as they leisurely walked on the street.

‘Only if you want to’ Livy replied and added ‘I can probably use the walk, the evening is lovely and warm’ Ray nodded and they strolled around town. They walked by the town pavilion and saw that most people had gone to listen to the music provided by Slim there. Off to the side of it, there were food and drinks being served. Ray and Livy went to get something to eat and sat on the grassy area in front of the pavilion to watch some of the people who had gone dancing to the music. Slim played a number of fast songs, from the Jukebox Saturday night to Mairzy Doats soon after they started to play the slower songs like ‘I‘ll be seeing you‘.

‘Livy, care to dance tonight?’ Ray hoped that Livy wasn’t too tired to say no. Livy glances at him and knew that Ray would never pass a chance to dance. ‘Sure, Ray’ She smiles.

As soon as the song ‘A Lovely Way to Spend the Evening’ ended, Ray led Livy to the dance floor and they prepared to dance to the music. Slim and the band decided to play ‘There! I’ve Said It Again’ *.

Ray took the lead and held Livy slowly around the dance floor. Both felt temporarily a little awkward not having danced to slow music before. Ray had placed his hand on Livy’s back, held her right hand on the other and gently stirred her closer to him. They quietly danced to the lovely music. Livy loved the sweet smell of Ray, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment, she can feel Ray’s heart beating fast and she smiles. All the things she’s learning about Ray is certainly overwhelming her senses. The music and the ambience lends more to that moment. She wondered if she felt too awkward then at Martha’s birthday when they danced because she hadn’t noticed that Ray is a good dancer as well.

Ray notices that in spite of Livy’s pregnancy she still is slim and petite. Her hair had grown long as well as her curls were touching his hand on her back. He loves seeing her with her hair down and how the curls would frame her face, how this made her even prettier. He had noticed that lately she had worn her hair down more often then when she first arrived at the farm. He remembered that she had it all pinned up all the time. Ray feels that she seems to be happier these days.

‘Did you have good time today, Livy?’ Ray turned to speak close to her ear.

‘It was wonderful, I didn’t expect it to turn out this way’ Livy replied. ‘I really thought most folks around here keep to themselves but now I feel the sense of community you all have here, that’s good to know Ray.’

‘You don’t get to see that too often, we work the farm most of the year and harvest time is always the best time. It is usually the time when we have more time to relax and celebrate. The festival is considered a tradition here.’

The song played on and Ray and Livy danced until the song ended and everyone clapped.
They walked back to their truck and they headed home, both recording today’s events in their memories.

By the time they reached the house, Livy had fallen asleep. Ray went around the truck to pick up and carry her inside the house. Livy stirred as Ray opened the passenger door. Half-asleep Livy says ‘are we home?’ and tried her best to get off the truck. Ray held her and said ‘I’ll carry you upstairs, you are too tired, Livy’. He carried Livy and she tried to protest ‘I can walk, Ray’. ‘Ssshh’ Ray soothingly whispers to her. She was falling in and out of slumber and didn’t argue any longer, she was really tired.

Upstairs, Ray laid her down on her bed and slipped off her shoes. He then pulled a blanket over her and tucked her in comfortably. He begins to turn away when Livy whispers ‘Thank you for today, Ray’ and she fell into deep slumber. ‘You are welcome, Livy’ Ray smiles as he heads towards the door.

*jecorbin post (4/19/05), click link to listen to the band music

Hand of God (Installment #4)

Episode Six: Hand of God

Installment #4: Darkness, Reign O’er Me



It’s time to call in the Crime Scene Investigators!

As you may have guessed, Danielle Franklin never made it over to the downtown station. It would have been perfect timing to meet Paul after being all dolled up at Mile High Style. But, fate was not on her side. (Darn! So close!)

A police officer working the scene carries the murder weapon over to the detective in charge. It is determined that she was shot at point-blank range and no witnesses have stepped forward. Luckily, the audience is spared that gory mess. Yet, the detective works up the courage…just doing his job…and looks at the corpse in disbelief.

Meanwhile, back at the station, Paul, still being held for questioning, is informed about the murder. (Hey, notice that box of donuts behind him.) With those amazing hands folded in front of his mouth, his eyes tell us the pain he is feeling. He bows his head down as if admitting defeat for not being able to help Danielle.

For a brief moment, Detective Bander seems to empathize with Paul over the murder since neither one of them was able to prevent it from occurring. Then, Paul’s anger erupts! Briskly, he gets up from his seat, slams the table, and shouts, “If you hadn’t stopped me, I could have---Maybe I could have saved her!”

Enter Alva to the rescue with a writ of habeas corpus.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sounds of Marilyn Manson bring us to the local diner where our young murderer sits at a table. Donning headphones, he’s probably listening to music as a way of blocking out what he just did. (I heard music tames the savage beast.) As he gets up to leave, he comes face to face with a police officer.

Suddenly, the scene switches back. Paul hurries to get out of the police station with Alva in tow. While the boys exchange words about their frustrations over this dilemma, Detective Bander appears and informs them that they “caught the guy” who committed the murder.

Or did they?

Desperately, Alva attempts to win back Paul’s trust. He becomes particularly worried when Paul tells him that he’s unsure if he’s coming back to Boston. Alva asks, “Are you having second thoughts (hmm…where have I heard that before?) about your new job?” He listens as Paul concludes that they are on two different paths.

In what seems to be his trump card, Alva yields the last piece of information that Paul needs…. the name and address of the sixth person mentioned in the hemography file…Hector Salgado, aka, Kenneth Webster. Evidently, Alva is set on helping Paul and making things right between them.

Alva, still in tow, tries to slow down Paul in his tracks. Since Paul brought up the founding of SQ earlier, Alva felt compelled to give the background. He explains that when he was a linguistics minor at Cambridge, he decoded the language of the English Field Raven. He proceeds to tell him how he wandered around the moors, recording their sounds. (“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary…” “Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.” EAP)

Alva continues with his story stating that on the fifth day of listening to the cacophony of birdcalls, he began to hear other sounds…. voices…! One of those voices was that of his mother’s voice calling him by his childhood nickname, “Mango.”

Now I’m wondering, how many “takes” were done for that scene? Did he really say Mango? "Oh, Mango, let’s have a spot of tea.” (You'll have to forgive me, I’m a touch delirious at this point!)

My Thoughts…

Among other issues, this installment represents the more humane side of Alva. He is dealing with the consequences of certain decisions he made. The effects of those decisions, as Alva admits, “…change the course of one’s life.” Alva became a prisoner of his own decision to withhold information from Paul …setting off a big time internal conflict. He realizes that he made a mistake ” (Go ahead, have a co’cola on me) by keeping the files from Paul. Now, he must make up for it.

Your Thoughts…

During this part of the episode, Alva says, twice, that the road he was on led him to Paul.
Did Alva choose this road or was he, too, chosen for it?

On a lighter note…
What about that nickname? Do you think it was a foreshadowing that Mango was a “blood-hound?”