I, Gracie - Sharon Sala Page 0,1

her years ago, but she still had to call them and let them know. Delia was their Mama, too.

The screen door squeaked behind her, and then Brother Harp was beside her. He was a stout man with green eyes, a weak chin, and a big booming voice.

"Willis Decker sends his sympathies and said to let you know they will be here within the hour."

"Thank you," Gracie said.

"Is there anyone else you—"

"Not at the moment. I'll deal with all that later," she said.

Brother Harp nodded. "As you wish. The church calendar is open right now, so you just pick the day and time that best suits you, and we'll make it work, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

Brother Harp gave Gracie a sharp look, and as he did, Gracie saw a glint in his eye she didn't like. Then he smiled and cleared his throat.

"Now that you're free of your burden of health care, we'll be expecting to see you back in church...after a decent time of grieving, of course."

Gracie blinked.

"Brother Harp, I thank you and Ramona for coming. I called you here because it was something Mama had asked of me before she went and lost her mind, and because there was no one else to call after the hospice nurse wrecked herself outside of Abilene. I'll be in touch about the services. As for going back to church...that's gonna take some time. The last seven years of our lives were nothing short of hell. Neither you, or Ramona, or any of the congregation, chose to visit us during all these years to see if we were in need, so I'm not of a mind to return the favor."

Brother Harp turned red, and then he paled. "But we were told that she'd gone crazy. That it wasn't safe to be around her, and that she didn't know people anymore. Everyone in Sweetwater felt bad for the situation, but—"

Gracie cut him short. "I understand. You didn't want to get involved. She was crazy. But she didn't know it. And she didn't mean to be. However, I wasn't crazy, and I was hurting, and we were in need, but I was raised not to beg. So, I didn't. No thank you for the invitation to return to the fold. I appreciate you coming, and please thank Ramona for me. I'll let you two see yourselves out."

He looked like he couldn't believe he was being asked to leave. "What about the funeral home coming for the body?"

Gracie stared him down. "They know the way here. All I have to do is open the door."

Brother Harp had been dissed and dismissed with about as much class as he'd probably ever been party to, and he had enough dignity to not make excuses, or be angry with a truth.

"Yes, ma'am," he said. "I'm sorry." And then he went back into the house.

Gracie was still standing on the porch when she heard them drive away, but she had no qualms about what she'd said, and they knew their way back to Sweetwater.

She thought about what he'd said—about people in town being afraid of Delia. She'd acted out a lot in the first two years, which was why Gracie had quit taking her to town. And after that, Gracie had gone on her own. People had sent their best wishes to Delia, but they’d never asked Gracie if she was in need. There was a difference.

Gracie thought about her mama lying there in that room all alone, and then looked out across the prairie and knew Delia wasn't here anymore. She was out there somewhere, dancing through heavenly bluebells with Daddy. The thought made her heart hurt. But instead of crying, she went back inside, washed her hands and face, got a cold Coke out of the refrigerator, and turned on the box fan standing behind the table.

She needed caffeine, but they'd been out of coffee for a week. At least Mama had had the grace to wait and die until her social security check hit the bank. Otherwise, Gracie would have had to give it back, and she was going to need it.

Mama's death was not a shock, and had been a long time coming, but at the same time, Gracie couldn't remember what it felt like to be free, or what it was like to know someone had her back. But she remembered their last happy family gathering nine years ago, like it was yesterday.

* * *

It was just after Easter dinner.

James and his wife, Darlene, were sitting side