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  “But my friend is not imaginary,” Mallory pleaded.

  +++

  Mallory carefully put each cookie on a paper plate, and her mother covered them with plastic wrap exactly as her young daughter asked. Kenny watched as Mallory went out the front door. He gave her a minute and then looked through the blind. Mallory was sitting on the front steps.

  “See, Mom and Dad. I told you Mallory didn’t have a real friend. She’s just sitting on the porch. Come and see.”

  When his parents did not heed to his request, Kenny went looking for them. He found his dad leaning back in the recliner and his mom lying on the couch.

  “Did you hear what I said?” Kenny asked when he went into the room.

  “No, Kenny. What did you say?” his mother asked.

  “I said, ‘Mallory is just sitting on the porch.’”

  “Maybe she’s just working up her courage, Kenny. I think you need to be more concerned about what you’re going to do,” his mother replied.

  Kenny shrugged, left, and went back and looked out the window. His sister was gone.

  +++

  Mallory stood in front of the house of her intended recipient. Scared, Mallory needed strength to go on, and she knew how to get it.

  “God, I think we can pull this off together. Do you mind sharing some of your courage with me?”

  Mallory peeked through the wrought-iron gate. She saw no woman and no gun. She eased the gate open and held the cookies in front of her, like a white flag. Slowly, she walked toward the house, stepped up onto the porch, and tiptoed to the door. As she neared the door, she gave a sigh of relief and reached up to ring the doorbell. Just as Mallory was about to ring the bell, she heard the porch swing creak. Mallory had no idea if she dropped the plate of cookies before or after the old lady spoke.

  “Why, who do we have here?” Mrs. Peabody asked.

  “M-m-m-my n-n-n-name’s M-m-m-allory.”

  “Well, come here, Mallory. I like children. It’s adults I despise.”

  Mallory stooped over and picked up the plate of cookies, relieved that she had asked her mother to cover them with plastic wrap. She looked down at them. Only a couple of them had broken.

  “Well, what is this you brought with you, Mallory?”

  “It’s a plate of homemade cookies. My mother and I made them.”

  “Are they for me, Mallory?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Well, whatever caused you to bring me a plate of cookies?”

  “Well, my dad’s the pastor of the church over there,” she said, nodding her head in the direction of the church, “and he did a sermon today about the despised Samaritan and he told everyone to go out to a despised Samaritan before next Sunday, and you’re my despised Samaritan.”

  “Well,” Mrs. Peabody said as she laughed. “I have often thought of myself as despised, but never as a Samaritan. So who told you to come and see me? Your father?”

  “Well, in a way. God sent me.”

  “So you believe in God, do you?”

  “Everybody at my church does. Don’t you believe in God?”

  “Of course, I believe in God. It’s people I don’t believe in.”

  “Well, Dad always says that God’s a lot better than people. That’s really obvious if you consider that my brother’s a people.”

  “Well, he probably is, Mallory, although I suspect an inferior one. You know how boys are.”

  “Well, one boy, anyway.”

  “So is the only reason you came to see me to bring me cookies?”

  “No, there are a couple of other reasons.”

  “Is one of those reasons because you want me to pay you for the cookies?”

  “Oh, no! These cookies are like grace food. They’re free.”

  “So, did you come to see me because you wanted to see what a real witch looks like?”

  “You mean you are a witch?” Mallory asked, a little frightened. “Do you really eat people like my brother Kenny says?”

  “No, I’m not a witch and I don’t eat people, but I know everyone on the street refers to me as a witch. Of course, I haven’t been the best of neighbors, either. So, are you going to tell me why you came to see me?”

  “Well, one reason is because you don’t have any friends, and I want to be your friend, Mrs. Peabody.”

  “Well, I sure could use a friend, and you seem like a pretty good friend to have, but I think friends should be on a first name basis. You can call me Minerva.”

  “Now I can say I have a real friend, Minerva. Up to now, all of my friends have been imaginary.”

  “So have mine, child. So have mine.”

  “Minerva, next Sunday we’re supposed to bring our new friends to church. My brother Kenny, his real name’s Kensington, says the only friend I’ll have there will be an imaginary friend. Will you come to church next Sunday, so I will have a real friend there?”

  “A few months ago, I would’ve told you ‘no,’ Mallory, but friends are supposed to have secrets they don’t share with other people, so I’m going to share a secret with you. Just before last Christmas, your dad came to see me. We had a nice visit and he invited me to church. I told him ‘no,’ but I told him if he would be willing to leave the church unlocked at night I would be willing to come over and pray after dark, when no one could see me. Your dad’s been coming to see me every Saturday, after dark like I asked, and he’s left the church open for me. Last week I prayed that God would reveal His Son to me, and now I believe He has. I would be delighted to come to church and sit with you next Sunday. I like giving other people a good fright, and some of them will really receive a good fright when they see me. They’ll probably drop their cookies, too, but I know God will be happy I’m there, and your dad will be, too.”

  Tears streamed down Mallory’s cheeks, causing Minerva to shed some, too. The recluse and the little girl reached over and gave each other a hug and visited some more over milk and cookies. Then, Mallory went home.

  +++

  At the dinner table that night, Kenny proved that he still could not keep his mouth shut, which led some people to wonder if he was related to Harry.

  “Say, Mal, are you going to be able to eat your dinner after eating all of those cookies?”

  “I only ate a couple, and I only ate those after my new friend asked me to stay and have some milk and cookies with her.”

  “Yeah, sure,” Kenny said. “And what’s this imaginary friend’s name?”

  “She’s not imaginary. She’s real, and her name’s Minerva.”

  “M-m-minerva,” stuttered her dad.

  Mallory shook her head as if to keep her dad from revealing her secret. She could tell that he knew where she had been.

  “Does that name mean anything to you, dear?” his wife asked.

  “Well, I’m sure I’ve met someone named Minerva. It’s just that it doesn’t sound like the kind of name Mallory usually makes up.”

  “Well, Dad, Mallory did say this one was real,” Kenny said, making sure everyone caught on to the fact that he did not buy the realness of Mallory’s new friend.

  “Is something wrong, dear? You’re crying,” Nancy said to her husband.

  “Oh, I just got something in my eye. That’s all. By the way, Mallory, maybe after dinner you and I can go into my study and you can tell me about your friend. I can hardly wait to hear about her.”

  +++

  All week long Pastor Scott prayed for his congregation. He prayed that each of them would reach out to someone. He also prayed that some of them would bring a guest with them to Sunday services.

  When Sunday came, Pastor Scott walked over from the parsonage a little before anyone else arrived, and a little more nervous than usual. He hoped for an opportunity to greet many visitors, and he hoped Minerva would come, as she had promised Mallory.

  Soon people began to arrive. Frank and Cora showed up with four guests. Cora had invited Ralph. Everyone on Aylesford Place knew Ralph. After all, Ralph delivered everyone�
�s mail. Pastor Scott greeted Ralph and then turned to the middle-aged black couple and young white man who accompanied Frank.

  “Pastor Scott, I’d like you to meet Robert and Opal Washington and Rodney Hawkins. Robert and Rodney are two of the most important people to life on Aylesford Place.”

  Robert grinned a big grin.

  “Good to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Washington, and Mr. Hawkins, and what is it that makes you gentlemen so special?”

  Before either man could answer, Frank interrupted.

  “That’s because Robert and Rodney are the men who pick up our garbage each week. There’s no telling where we would be without them.”

  “Sometimes they pick up our garbage before Harry has a chance to go through it to see if there’s anything he might use,” Cora added.

  Everyone laughed, and Pastor Scott interrupted. “You’d better watch those comments about Harry. Here he comes now.”

  “And look who’s with them. Frank, isn’t that Rachel?” Cora asked.

  “Well, I believe it is. This is the first time she’s been home in quite some time.”

  Harry and Ethel entered the church, grinning from ear to ear, sort of like parents of a newborn who could not wait to show off the child or the picture.

  “Scott, I’d like you to meet our daughter Rachel who came in on a surprise visit to help us celebrate our upcoming anniversary. Rachel got in late last night.”

  “Well, good to meet you, Rachel, and we’re glad you decided to be with us this morning after such a long trip.”

  “Good to meet you, too, Pastor Scott, and it’s good to be here this morning.”

  Pastor Scott could already see that this was going to be a special Sunday, but the father in him hoped it would be a special Sunday for Mallory, as well.

  People showed up one after the other. Both Brad and Amy stopped by the orphanage. Each of them picked up three children.

  “Well, will you look who’s here?” Amy said, turning around and looking at the two people who entered the church.

  “So, Stephen King’s biggest fan has come to church.” Brad said, as he looked at the young man in the black shirt and black tie.

  It was almost time for the service to start, so Pastor Scott took his seat and bowed his head as he always does before rising to lead his congregation. Although the skies had begun to grow dark indicating an approaching storm, all of Pastor Scott’s thoughts were happy thoughts, and thankful thoughts, until he opened his eyes and looked at his downcast daughter sitting dejectedly in the second pew, losing hope and fighting back tears, but still saving a seat for Minerva. Nancy tried to get her husband’s attention that it was time to start the service, but his look told her he was giving his daughter’s new friend a little longer to arrive.

  “So, where’s your friend, Mal?” sneered her teasing brother. “Oh, whoops, there she is. I almost scooted over and sat on her.”

  “Listen, Kensington, if you don’t want a fat lip, you’ll shut your yap. I told you that Minerva’s real. She told me she was coming. Oh, where is she?” Mallory continued to work hard to fight back the tears.

  When her brother noticed how sad she was, he stopped teasing her and scooted over and put his arm around his baby sister.

  “Maybe she’ll come next week,” Kenny suggested.

  “Listen, buster. Don’t suck up to me now. She said she’s coming, and she’ll be here.”

  With no alternative, Pastor Scott got up to welcome everyone. After saying only a few words, he looked up as the church doors opened before him. There stood an older woman, wearing a long, dark gray dress, and just as she stepped into the church, a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning made everyone jump. A lump formed in Pastor Scott’s throat. He could not go on. Everyone turned from looking at him to see what had caught his eye.

  “Minerva! You did come!” shouted an excited little girl who sprang from her pew, ran to the back of the church, and threw both of her arms around the older woman’s waist. After giving Minerva Peabody a big hug, Mallory took Minerva’s right hand with her left, and announced to the congregation, “Everybody, this is my new friend Minerva.”

  As Mallory and Minerva made their way to the front of the church amid murmurs from the congregation, more than a few heard Harry mutter something about the roof caving in, which was followed immediately by a sharp elbow from his wife. As Minerva passed an open-mouthed Harry, she could not resist a comment.

  “Oh, hi, Harry. How’s the neck? It looks like you’ve still got a speck of paint on it, but it’ll go away in time.”

  “I must go up and talk to that woman after church,” a smiling Cora said to Frank.

  “I think we all should,” Frank said. “I think we’ve neglected her long enough.”

  Minerva scooted into the pew ahead of Mallory and plopped down next to a frightened boy.

  “Well, you must be young Kensington,” Minerva whispered, as she put her arm around his shoulder. “I must have you for dinner sometime. A little bony perhaps, but then Hansel was a little bony, too.”

  As soon as Minerva said this to Kenny, she turned to Mallory and winked, and Mallory grinned and winked at her.

  Kenny tried his best to escape. He tried to wiggle out of Minerva’s grasp, and stretched for his sister Jill, a pleading look on his face. Jill had not seen her brother reach out to her since he was a baby, so she moved away and let him fend for himself.

  +++

  Pastor Scott waited for the murmurs to die down and everyone to get comfortable before he began the service. Then, he composed himself and continued with his welcome and the announcements, before everyone burst into song. Minerva Peabody sang as if she had been coming every Sunday.

  It was easy for Pastor Scott to deliver his sermon. The people he preached to the previous Sunday did what he had suggested. He continued with his illustration of The Good Samaritan and reminded everyone that being a Good Samaritan was not a one-time act, but a part of their everyday being. He urged the congregation to share the love of Jesus with everyone.

  +++

  The sermon must have worked. After the service ended, even Harry went over and gave Minerva Peabody a hug, and she apologized for shooting him. Kenny went over and started talking to Norman and tried to find something that the two of them had in common. Robert Washington and Rodney Hawkins were the most popular people at church. Practically everyone on the street went up and thanked them for picking up their garbage.

  When someone opened the church doors after the service, all those inside were delighted to know the rain had stopped. The shower had been brief. The sun was out, and there were no mud puddles. The weather now matched the attitudes of those within the church.

  Frank and Cora had already invited Ralph, the Washingtons, and Rodney to dinner, and they decided to add Minerva Peabody to the list. They were delighted when she accepted their invitation. It had been a while since Frank and Cora had to add a leaf to the dining room table. The thought of doing so made Cora smile. While Amy went back to her house and picked up two picnic baskets, Brad walked to the park with the children from the orphanage. Amy joined them, and she and Brad gave each child an ample portion of food and drink. After eating, Brad caught everyone who wanted to be caught coming down the slide, which turned out to be all of the girls, including Amy.

  Lady Catherine and Norman joined the Armbrusters for dinner at the parsonage, while Harry and Ethel took Rachel back to their place in order to catch up on all of those missed visits. Harry got so carried away that he offered to take Ethel and Rachel to Murdock’s to eat on Tuesday. While Murdock’s was not as expensive as Martinelli’s, for once in his life Harry was willing to put out more than two dollars on a meal, when it was his idea. He could not wait to tell Cora what he had done. He would take great pleasure in seeing her faint.

  Until that week, it had been a long time since Minerva Peabody had gone to visit anyone. That week she received three dinner invitations. She ate Sunday dinner with Frank and Cora, Tuesday evening with
the Armbrusters, and was picked up by Brad on Thursday evening so that she could sample Amy’s cooking. If the dinner invitations continued, Minerva wondered if Pastor Scott might have to call before his visits in order to see if she was at home. After Kenny got to know Minerva, he decided that she was cool. After all, not every woman was willing to teach him how to shoot a paintball gun. His only concern was what punishment he would receive if he shot it at his sisters.

  +++

  The phone rang. Amy rushed to get it. She answered it, then made a note to get Caller ID.

  “Hi, Mom.”

  “You called me Mom. Must be one of my children. I talked to one of them only a couple of months ago. You must be one of the other two.”

  “You called me, Mom. What do you want?”

  “You haven’t called in so long that I decided to check on you.”

  “Sorry, Mom. I’ve been busy.”

  “How long does it take to take a few pictures?”

  “Ah, so you’ve figured out which one of the other two I am. Good for you, Mom.”

  “You still seeing that writer?”

  “Yeah, he still lives next door.”

  “Does that mean you’ve broken up?”

  “Were we going steady, Mom?”

  “Well, I thought you two were kind of close. I haven’t gotten a wedding invitation yet, so I was kind of worried.”

  “We are kind of close, Mom. And I haven’t gotten a wedding invitation yet, either. If I do, you’ll be the last to know.”

  “Very funny. You want me to call him and let him know that you’d be receptive to the idea?”

  “Watch it, Mom. I know a couple of Sicilians in your neighborhood.”

  And Baby Makes Six

  Scott smiled as he looked at Nancy, waddling barefoot across the living room floor. While he had seen her this way before, it had been over five years since the last time. Since her last pregnancy, both of them assumed that Nancy’s childbearing was over. But then neither of them expected God to answer Scott’s prayer request in quite the manner He did. One day, when Scott cornered his wife in the kitchen, he asked her to pose for a bikini profile. Only his nimbleness and his wife’s shaky center of gravity kept him from taking an elbow in the side of the head. Maybe Kenny got some of his mischievousness from his dad.