Blackwood Heights

Chapter Five

                                                                                     Summer 1912

 Breath is hard to find on some days, and everyone in Blackwood Heights was finding air hard to come by. The whole town moved into the small parish slowly, each one was struggling to make their way in. Once a body is laid to rest there is a break in time. The town would truly never be the same again. 

 Out of the mouth of babes truth is always spoken. Margo Stevens, pulled on her mother's skirt. "Momma, Mrs. Moore is gone, who will make the baby's quilt?" She asked her blue eyes steadfast on an answer. Her mom trying not to break down in a million tears just directed the eight year old into a pew. She uncomfortably sat as she was heavily pregnant and due in a month. Mrs. Moore made every baby a quilt, and she was known as the welcoming committee for all new comers that entered Blackwood Heights. An expert on dealing with coupe and was a good ear for young woman who were struggling in their first years of marriage. Not too many people knew her first name, she always just referred to herself as Mrs. Moore, nothing more nothing less. A simplistic Christian that paid no mind to the more complicated passages, she loved God, nature, and her neighbour. 

 The parish tiled roof was being cried upon relentlessly. The tinging of huge raindrops bounced off the shingles. Father Tobias was glad he had the roof replaced, not costing a dime of his own money. The parish paid not only for the work but the ladies fed the workers generously. He was glad for that new roof now, nothing worse than rain dripping on caskets. 

 The word caskets made him think about the two that were sitting in front of him. Mr. Digs might have struggled to read but he was an artisan his skill would have put the greats to shame. Father Tobias was looking at Susie's casket in great detail. The design Mr. Digs envisioned came out beyond spectacular. The lamb looked like it would jump out of the wood. Mr. Digs put on the perfect gloss making the coffin have close to a mirror effect.  From where Father Tobias was sitting, he got the perfect glimpse of the coffin handles. Mother-of-pearl had been moulded into the brass; tiny daisies carved delicately into the pearl handles. Then inside the centre of the daisy a pearl was found. The caskets were both closed the viewing happened the night before and the stitch work in both of the coffins was fine and delicate. 

 The parish did have huge fans equipped at the top of the ceiling so at least it would be cooler but the bodies crammed in like sardines there is not anything one can do to make body heat tolerable. However, the townsfolk seemed oblivious to how many people showed. There were people standing in the back and the choir in the balcony was packed. Not a single member missed choir practice that Wednesday. 

 As some last people bravely walked in and there was no more room even the door could not close. Father Tobias checked his pocket watch and took to the wooden podium that had tiny sparrows flying upward over a cross and began the services for the two lives that were gone from their midst. 

 He started out slowly inhaling oxygen that was coming into him slowly, a blind man climbing up a rocky hill. He cleared his throat. "For those of us that know God fully and personally and make His way our way, death is not the end. Rather, a beginning we simply have not encountered yet. The ultimate bend in the road. We know that angels have carried both of these amazing souls to their perfect destination. We are the only ones that have the abyss of profound sorrow lingering and that sorrow will stay with us until we go towards that ultimate bend in the road. I will not speak so freely of your sister and our daughter, that is your calling for your words of love and endearment will mean more than mine. So, at this time everyone can come up and say a few words starting with immediate family members first. At this moment I call forth Mr. Moore who will start off and then Miss Marion Blackwood." As Father Tobias spoke the words the were jagged porcelain falling on seaside cliffs. He leaned heavily on the podium and then nodded to Mr. Moore and Father Tobias sat back down in a very plush red chair that one had to study as his plumpness covered the edges. 

 Mr. Moore's stance was not strong, his body limped in an agonising fashion until he nearly keeled over the podium. His demeanour etched forward many years. The only fifty-five year old man looked a hundred years old or more. From his suit pocket his hands rattled the edges of the seam until he could wrangle the paper from the little nook. He had no strength to clear his throat when he spoke his voice croaked from sorrow that seemed foreign to him. 

 "My wife was a good woman. You all know that, and this is why you are gathered here with me to pay your respects that seemed so rightly due to her. I would like to thank you all for the prayers, food, and support you have given me over the last couple of days, I am forever grateful. Many of you may not know this about my wife, her and I lost a baby some many years ago, and this is why she makes the quilts for your little ones. It broke her heart but she never became bitter about that sorrow she carried except this moment. I am sure she is friends with the little girl we lost who we named Samantha. Her work ethic came from the stark fear she had poverty and where poverty could lead. I won't delve too far into those details but growing up for her was harder than most. This drove her to work despite my income was more than enough, and I was not going to lose a woman who was bound and determined to work because of stupid manly pride. I accepted her as she was and she accepted me for who I am and that is why we were married forty years. She was kind to everyone, and I am honoured that I had the solemn privilege to call her not only wife, but friend and not too many men can say their wife is their best friend. I l will always love her. Please pray for James Blackwood that he would repent from this evil he has brought to so many . I forgive James and rightly so you should as well. The good Book talks about that. I am no preacher mind you but hate has a way of killing even more good." His salty tears fell unashamed on the paper, making the ink neigh on illegible. His legs buckled as he tried to take steps down to the first pew, and someone grabbed him to help him to sit. He took his handkerchief out and wiped his eyes. As much as he knew that his wife was gone she led a full life, unlike Susie Blackwood. 

 He shook his head in disbelief. The question that rolled in his head a marble with no cloth sack to settle in kept bouncing around. How could a father kill his child? He pushed it out to focus on the real victim in this situation. A little girl taken way too soon. Whose whole life could have been a masterpiece. 

 Marion was glancing around the paper she had in front of her. She was uncomfortable a cat being dragged to water. She fidgeted for a bit and then became a machine against her own will. "I know that some of you may blame me for what happened to Mrs. Moore. I had no idea that my brother James was in such a state of spite and rage. I knew he was angry about me going to the magistrate and obtaining custody, but never in my wildest dreams did I think he would kill my best friend or my niece. To some that are questioning my motives for getting Susie to live with me, it was for the simple reason he planned on exploiting her like a woman of ill repute to pay for his drinking habits. This is not rumour, for Reverend Tobias witnessed this, I asked him, to go and look for Susie, because I was in danger. Mr. Moore, I cannot express my sympathy and condolences my brother has caused you and your extended family. Moreover, Susie was a gracious child. Her mother died unfortunately, during Susie's birth spurring my brother James to be dependent upon alcohol. Susie was the light of my life. She was sweet, kind, patient, and loved the piano, and an imaginative child. My fiancee and I were looking forward to raising her as our own. She was thrilled to start school in the fall. My light is gone and there is an emptiness in our lives. I know her mother is with her and she will never need a single thing now, her pain erased though mine has just begun. She is loved and whole. I will have to cling to God in as I muddle through fear, guilt, and loss. I know this intense sorrow will ebb away with time, but will never fully diminish until I am there amongst God and his angels, and there Susie will be rushing to me urging me to take her hand. Rest in peace dear one." As she finished she could barely be heard tears drowned her voice. Her sobs echoed through the parish and it would seem happiness would not grace the hearts and minds of those who sat and honoured the two souls now departed. 

 Many folks spoke and the choir sang boldly the words of Amazing Grace it was Mrs. Moore's favourite hymn. Then after the children's choir arose and the organist began the simple melody of Jesus Loves Me. Soon, after all the other songs were sung and all words were spoken to their fullest, Mr. Peabody motioned to another member Mr. Peabody was to drive the hearse with Susie, and Charles Wentworth would drive the other hearse with Mrs. Moore. The town never had double funeral. When mothers died from child birth the child was buried in the same casket. Mr. Peabody was glad he acquired a second, sometimes the townsfolk wanted to be buried in the bigger cities and he never wanted to be without a way to get the caskets to and fro from their destinations. Both men had to wiggle their way through the pews and shift people around that were blocking the door. The standers moved outside for the pallbearers had to make their way through to the vehicles. 

 The cemetery was on the outside of town, the cemetery surrounding the church had long since been filled, and the city acquired nine acres of land. Blackwood Heights townsmen excavated it and elevated the land to have it overlook the massive lake. The lake was known to flood so to prevent the lake washing away the graves they made a man made rock dyke and put concrete foundation to keep the land from sliding, they carved in a paved road and added a wrought iron gate, and equipped the groundskeeper with a three bedroom cottage equipped indoor plumbing. 

 Oliver Quince, was the groundskeeper, he worked many hour over the last week to dig the spots for both Mrs. Moore and Susie. Since Marion knew they were such good friends she decided to bury them together side by side. She felt like Susie would need Mrs. Moore there somehow. Mr. Moore was beyond words in a way his wife had a daughter of sorts in Marion and with Susie too. He realised that God had healed that wound in His own time, in His own way. 

 He directed the hearses exactly where they needed to go. Oliver would place the coffins in the ground later; he thought people were too shocked by seeing the casket lowers. He would often hire people from the town to help later in the day. The pallbearers were thankful that Oliver put boards down on the grass to prevent them from slipping. The graveside was a little bit on a hill, but with sheer determination they managed to get there with no major incidents. 

 Father Tobias spoke the passages of Jesus talking to the disciples about eternal life. Then after he was finished he placed fresh daisies on top of Susie's coffin, and a beautiful carnation on Mrs. Moore's coffin. The rest followed suit and soon everyone left. Their town would never be the same ever again. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  The pizza parlour was a fun night out with Seth. She realised that he was just trying to figure out this thing called parenting. They fell into a friendship almost magically in the hour or so. She felt safe, wanted, and more importantly loved. Without even trying they were singing along with the radio and the two of them were giggling so loud. 

 Seth, knew his girl had gone through a lot. In that moment he saw something in her he had never seen, a light in her eyes. He realised how she talked to the waitress, her manners were impeccable. She never once took out her phone but stayed fully engaged with him during the whole dinner. Seth, knew for sure her dad taught her valuable lessons she did not even know she had been taught. 

 They turned onto their road and drove past the gate. It was open and a strange car was in the driveway. Seth pulled into the long drive and a man was talking to Lydia. 

 "Whose that?" Piper looked at Seth with eyes that narrowed with suspicious intrigue. 

 "Not sure, Piper." He said as he parked the car and got out of the car,

 Lydia looked frustrated with her hands on her hips. The man was trying to get her to calm down. 

"Hi, my name is Seth, this is Piper, is everything okay?" His tone was calm not alarming just a tone of trying to settle a minor miscommunication issue. 

 The stranger turned around and to Piper's shock it was Doctor Tobias. 

 "Hey doctor Tobias, how are you? My leg is better, but don't worry I am not swimming with it yet. Everything okay?" Piper asked going to him showing the clean bandage was still in tact. 

 "Seth, do you mind if I go inside I need to talk to you." Doctor Tobias asked in a hushed tone as he pulled Seth closer to the car so that way the ladies could not hear what was going on. 

 "Sure, doc. Umm, Piper why don't you make some lemonade and bring it to my study okay." Seth asked and Piper skipped off. 

 Lydia threw her hands up in the air and then went to her drink that was on the top of the stone platform overlooking the driveway. 

 Doctor Tobias walked in and the two men settled in the office. Seth, closed the heavy oak doors. "What's on your mind?" 

 "I don't rightly know where to start. I am concerned for Piper. Her mother came to the hospital inebriated not sure to how much she was over the limit, if she was over the limit. However, we have a strict policy in this town against child neglect and abuse." The doctor said looking at Seth dead on with eyes that would make a professional poker player fold. 

 Seth, sighed. "Well, Doctor Tobias, I thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will address this with Lydia for sure. If this put you in any kind of professional conundrum I apologise." Seth spoke as he shook the doctor's hand. 

 Piper came just in time with the lemonade. Casual conversation took over and Doctor Tobias left. 

 He drove up away from town and looked over a grave the tombstone read Susie Blackwood. He picked some wild flowers and laid them on her grave. "I'm trying Susie." He whispered and then went to another grave where he stood over it just a little longer. Father Tobias.  "Grandpa, this burden is hard, things sure have changed a lot since you your time. I am not sure anyone follows the Good Book anymore. I am not sure what is going to happen, but I know that He has a plan." 

  The doctor drove around the lake and then he finally arrived at his house. A newer section of homes but unlike most cottage places Blackwood Heights was nor would it ever expand like other towns. No matter what the townspeople wanted, or the mayor, it was about what she wanted and she always got what she wanted and who she wanted. After all, she was the protector. 

 He wondered if other towns had a protector or if it was just Blackwood Heights. Being the protector meant hard things had to be done and some were just down right scared of Blackwood Heights and there was good reason for it. The protector hated cell phones and if certain things were looked out the connection just quit. 

The protector was the reason the town only needed one deputy. A place where kids were loved, honoured, and safe, not good ground to produce criminals or citizens of ill repute. Doctor Tobias wondered if another gravestone would be added to the cemetery. He hoped repentance would happen soon, if not the protector would force repentance, he had not seen the protector but others in his family line had it was not pretty; not pretty at all. 

 Doctor Tobias arrived at his house wearily and was looking forward to climbing into bed and having a good sleep after that would proceed after a long talk with God.