Seven
MONDAY MORNING, I AM in my office looking over a list of questions that the Church suggests couples answer together before getting engaged when my cell phone rings.
When I see it’s Clark Applegate, I answer with a cheery, “Hello, my Protestant friend!”
“Hi, Tom,” he says. “I’m glad to see you survived Easter.”
“Well, since none of the animals in the petting zoo savaged me, and I’m no longer facing prison, overall things are looking up,” I say.
In more ways than one.
“About that,” Clark says, turning serious. “How are you doing?”
I take a deep breath. “All things considered, pretty good. Much different than the last time someone I knew committed suicide.” I pause. “I just remind myself I couldn’t have saved him, even if he had wanted me to.”
“And Helen?”
“She’s still trying t
