AT 6:05 P.M., THE RECTORY doorbell rings. I smile and rush to the door. As I open it, Helen stumbles in. She’s wearing the soft black skirt that she wore to our meeting with the Archbishop, but this time she’s topped it with a pale blue silk blouse that accents her eyes in a most delightful way.
When I hug her, she leans in so hard I almost fall over. “Are you OK?” I ask, concerned.
“Yeah, fine,” she says distractedly. “Just a little tired. It's been a long day, a long week.”
“Helen, we could have put this off.”
“No, I’ve been looking forward to us spending the evening together. I’ll be fine as soon as I have a drink.”
We walk together to the couch. I notice she’s a little unsteady on her feet, and a couple of times I can swear I hear a sharp intake of breath like she’s in pain. On t
