Page 74 of Plane Passion

“Don’t be sorry. I brought this on myself, on all of you. Please don’t try to make me feel better.”

Instead of answering, Constance got up and folded him in a hug.

It was too much. He shuddered with the effort of keeping back his tears. His throat closed again, and his lungs squeezed tight.

Prudence and Verity sprung up from the blue chintz sofa and circled their arms around him too.

Oh, God.

His parents looked at each other then joined the girls.

Pop raised one hand.

“Heavenly Father,” he intoned, “watch over my son. He’s suffering and he needs Your grace. And, Lord, please watch over this family. Hard times are ahead, but we know You would not send us burdens we could not bear. Give us strength in these difficult times. We humbly submit ourselves to Your will, and we trust that You will guide us through this. In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, amen.”

“Amen,” murmured the rest of the family, squeezing Ernie tight, then releasing him.

Unable to hold back anymore, a tear streaked down his cheek. And then another. And then a torrent as he sobbed uncontrollably.

His father took him in his arms and patted his back. “It’s all right, son. It’s all right. Let it out. You’ll feel better afterwards, and we can plan for what’s ahead.”

For several minutes, he stood there with his father, beyond thought, carried away by the flood of pain that had been threatening to break through his control ever since the phone call. He was broken open, raw. Lost.

At last, the tide abated, and he could fill his lungs with air again.

“That’s right, son. Breathe. We’re here with you. The Lord is watching over you. You aren’t in this alone.”

Pop guided him to the well-worn leather wingback chair where he typically sat.

“I made a call to Mr. Alderson,” Pop said, standing beside him, a hand on his shoulder. “He’s always looking for an extra hand on his construction crews. You can start tomorrow. It won’t pay what the Postal Service did, but we’ll be able to get by.”

Ernie nodded. He didn’t care what kind of work he did so long as he could bring in a regular paycheck and try to make this right for his family.

“Constance graduates next month, and then she can get a job and help out. We have some savings, thank heavens, and I think we can squeak by until she’s working.”

Her job was supposed to give her independence, not tie her down to the family. But what could he do? It was the only solution, and he knew it. He nodded.

“I don’t mind, Ernie. Really, I don’t,” said Constance. “I know you hoped I would strike out on my own, but to be honest, I’m happy here at home. I want to help support the family.”

He felt sharp stabs of guilt at her words, but what could he say? “Thank you,” was all he managed.

“And you don’t have to give us pin money,” Verity added. “We’re just fine with what we have.”

Prudence nodded in agreement.

His heart broke a little more. He winced.

“We love you,” Prudence said, reaching out and taking his hand.

“I love you too, all of you,” he said in a shaky voice.

And he did. This was the love that mattered. He would never let them down again.

26

“Hey, beautiful, can I buy you a drink?”

The man had blond hair and brown eyes, just like Ernie, except not quite the same shade. The ache Millie had felt ever since she cut things off with him sharpened.