Greater Than Rubies: CHAPTER 4
ONY sat on the worn plaid couch in the living room of Peter and Caroline O’Farrell. Peter, Tony’s mentor and dear friend, headed up the extensive children and youth department at Boston Central Bible Church. Next to Tony on the couch sat a little girl of Chinese descent with straight black hair and a crooked smile. Angel Dove, as Caroline named her, had no idea how she got there or where she came from.
Caroline had first found her digging through the church’s soup kitchen Dumpster after lunch was served one afternoon two years ago. The doctor guessed her age at the time at about six. Angel Dove, currently the youngest child in the O’Farrell home, was at the time directing Tony which color of crayon to shade the puff of smoke coming off of the cartoon train in the coloring book in his lap.
Derrick and Peter had braved the winter storm to walk to the corner store so they could replenish the spent supply of milk the children would need with dinner. Robin and Caroline busied themselves in the kitchen. That meant that Tony and Angel Dove had a few moments of quiet time.
Looking at her sent Tony back a number of years in his memory. He remembered the first time Peter brought him here to this house, the very night he’d given his life to Christ. Peter’s wife, Caroline, had greeted him warmly, with the first hug he’d had in his life. He remembered nearly being brought to tears by that embrace.
Like Angel Dove, the O’Farrell’s had taken Tony in and fostered him, teaching him about life and God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He had learned, grown, and learned some more. He cherished his relationship with these two amazing people. While Peter and Caroline taught him the love of a family, he used the extensive library at the huge inner city church to feed his hungry soul with the Word of God.
By the end of the year, he had saved every dime he earned as one of the church’s janitorial crew and invested it. With the profit from his initial investment, he made another one, and another one. Now he was what the press labeled “Boston royalty,” an entrepreneur who dabbled in just about anything, all the while pouring money into church ministries and local charities.
Never having children of their own, the O’Farrells fostered dozens over the years. Caroline never turned a child away, even if she had to make a pallet on the floor of a bedroom while she found a better home. Tony shared a room with three other boys the year he lived with them. Today, he financed a network of children’s homes throughout the country.
“I have sandwiches,” Caroline said, bringing Tony back to the present. She set a huge platter of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches next to a two bowls of potato chips. Bright red tendrils of hair escaped the pony tail on the top of her head.
Tony glanced up to find Robin strolling out of the kitchen carrying a pitcher of lemonade. She gave him a warm smile that thrilled him. He so enjoyed seeing how well his bride to be fit so perfectly into his life and felt so comfortable with the people who meant the most to him.
“Yummy!” Angel said as she hopped off the couch and ran to the table.
Caroline smiled and put her hand on the head of her daughter. As they stood to go to the table, Tony slipped an arm around Robin’s waist and said, “We are so honored that you and Peter are going to stand up with us at our wedding. We were hoping that Angel Dove could serve as our flower girl.”
“Oh, I bet she would love it,” Caroline said, walking forward to hug Robin first, then Tony.
In what seemed like incredible timing, the second youngest child and youngest boy in the O’Farrell home appeared from the kitchen carrying a stack plates to the table. Little did he know he was about to become the topic of conversation.
“There’s more,” Robin said. “We would also be honored if Isaac would be our ring bearer. I know he’s a little old, but – “
“What do you say, lad? Do you want to be in Uncle Tony’s wedding?”
The little tawny haired boy with the round glasses scrunched his eight-year-old face up. “Do I have to dress up in a monkey suit?”
Caroline’s laughter rang out through the room. “Aye, you do. And you’ll look sharp in it, too. Like James Bond.” She waved at the table. “Now, eat. Get as much as you want. I can make more.”
The back door opened and Peter and Derrick came in, stomping the snow off their feet. Peter pulled his glasses from his face when they steamed up in the heat and Derrick shed his new ski coat. “It is really coming down out there.” Peter set a gallon of milk on the table. “There’s your milk, my dear.”
“Thank you, love,” Caroline said, taking the milk into the kitchen.
“Temperature is dropping,” Derrick said. He grabbed half a sandwich from the platter and ate it in two bites. Caroline came back into the room carrying a glass of milk which she handed Derrick.
“We should probably go, then,” Tony said. He grabbed Robin’s coat that she’d hung on the back of a chair and held it out for her to slip her arms into it. “I still need to get Robin home.”
“Can I drive?” Derrick asked. He drained the milk in a few long swallows and grabbed another sandwich.
“If the weather wasn’t so nasty, I’d say yes.”
“I have to learn how to drive in the snow sometime,” Derrick said.
“He has a point,” Peter said, pulling the ski cap off of his salt and pepper hair.
Tony nodded. “You’re right. After we drop Robin off, maybe I’ll let you drive. Let me see how bad the roads are.
Derrick let out a loud, “Whoop,” and went rushing outside, yelling good-bye to Caroline as he went.
Caroline laughed and put her hand to her chest. “You make me proud, Tony,” she said. “What you’re doing for that young man is a good thing.”
Tony nodded, looking at the door from which Derrick had gone out. “He seems like a fine boy. Ever since he came to me last Wednesday, he’s just gratefully accepted what I’ve offered. I don’t know if he’s waiting for a catch, casing me, or just plain happy to be out.”
Peter put his glasses back on. “I’m guessing the last,” he said. “I’ve met a lot of lost boys. You can tell when they’re sincere and when they’re just biding their time. He will be a great man one day, if he lets God use him.”
“I agree.” Tony buttoned his coat. “Ready to traverse the roads, cara?”
“I guess,” she said. “We probably should leave before it gets worse.” She stepped forward and hugged Caroline. “Thank you. I enjoyed the movie and time with you.”
“I enjoyed it as well, love. I shall see you at church tomorrow.”
Tony stepped outside and the wind immediately drove snow into his face. He held up his arm to block the icy blast and took Robin’s arm in his other hand. “Be careful,” he yelled against the wind. “The walk will be slippery.”
He walked carefully along the sidewalk to the gate. The latch was frozen shut. Derrick kicked it with a booted foot and it shook loose so that Tony could open it. They reached his car, parked on the curb, and piled in, Robin in the front seat next to Tony, Derrick in the back.
Tony started the car and cold air blasted out from the vents. “It will warm up in a sec,” he said when Robin shivered. As he spoke, the air started to feel warmer.
He put the car in drive and realized after just a few yards that he would not be able to see in the driving snow. He stopped at an intersection. “We’re going to have to take the Charlie,” he said. “I can’t drive in this.”
Robin shivered and looked at her feet. She’d worn canvass shoes, not knowing that the weather would turn. “I don’t have a Charlie stop close to me,” she said.
“Well …” He thought about the available options. “You’ll just have to stay at my place. I have a stop right near me.”
Just then, Robin’s phone rang. Tony saw Sarah’s picture on the screen as Robin answered it. “Hey, Sarah,” she said. Tony inched the car forward carefully. “Slow down,” Robin said. “I can’t understand you.”
Tony turned off of the street that housed
the pastors of Boston Central Bible and pulled into the church parking lot, driving through the empty lot to the end. He parked in a spot closest to the entrance to the subway system, but did not turn the car off yet.
“Well, that’s okay,” she said. “I’m stuck, too, and am just going to go to Tony’s. Take the Charlie to Tony’s apartment. The two of us can just stay in your room tonight. Your bed’s set up, and you have a couch in there, too.” Tony nodded and Robin finished the call. “You know which stop to take? Oh, that’s right. You met the decorator there. Okay. Good. I’ll see you as soon as you get there.” She hung up and turned her head to him. “She’s been working at the hospital. There’s no way she can drive home, either.”
“It’s just two stops up from my place,” he said. “I’ll call the guard in case she beats us there.” While he placed the call, he realized that ninety percent of him was thankful Sarah would be spending the night as well. But he also admitted that there was that ten percent that fought the constant temptation of knowing that Robin would certainly be his wife, so why continue to deny themselves the fulfillment of pushing their physical relationship forward? Knowing she was sleeping in his apartment, he didn’t know if he had the strength to battle that. Sarah’s arrival was certainly an answer to prayer.
“This,” he said before turning off the car and waving at the falling driven snow outside, “this is why I live in Florida in the winter.”
He looked over his shoulder at Derrick, who was adjusting his hat. “That’s a good idea, man. Let’s go to Florida.”
Tony laughed. “I think we will. We can leave Tuesday. I think a week or two will warm our bones nicely.”
Derrick stopped moving. “Seriously?”
“Of course. I have a ton of work waiting for me down there, so it will be good to go. You’ll like my house there. It’s right on the beach with a pool. You can vacation before starting your new job at the hotel.”
Robin glared at him before her face cracked a smile and laughter bubbled past the feigned seriousness. “You’re just mean.”
“One day soon, cara, you will be free to come and go with me as well. I look forward to it.” He put his hand on the door handle. “Ready?”
OBIN met the elevator, relieved to see Sarah step off. “I’ve been worried!” She said, hugging her sister.
“I missed the train and had to wait for the next one,” Sarah said, pulling her coat off and hanging it on the stand next to the door. She held up her overnight bag. “It was a long wait and my phone died right when we hung up. I’d planned on going to mom and dad’s tonight, thankfully, so I have a bag packed.”
“Did you find someone to take your Sunday School class?”
“Yep. All set. I’ll just go with you in the morning since we can ride the train.
Robin’s phone rang in her hand. “Hey Maxi. She just got here.” Sarah rolled her eyes at her older sister’s display of what she considered over-protectiveness. She made a drinking motion with her hand and headed toward the kitchen
On the other end, Maxine said. “Okay, good. Glad you’re all safe. If the roads are clear, I’ll bring you clothes in the morning. If not, I’ll see you at church.”
Robin disconnected the call and stepped down into the living room. She gestured at the doorway toward the kitchen. “I guess I should have warned her Derrick was in there.”
“I guess she’ll find out soon enough,” Tony said, typing on his phone. “Did you get settled into Sarah’s room okay?”
Robin curled up on the couch next to him. “I did. I’m so glad you’re not thousands of miles away and that we were together tonight. She would have been stuck.”
Tony put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. “This will be her home, too. You two will soon think of it that way. You could have come here whether I was home or not.”
Robin linked her fingers with his, pulling his arm closer around her. “We could go ahead and skip this whole event of the year, thing, and just get married. Then I could move in now.”
“You’re not getting out of it that easy,” he said, setting his phone on the couch next to him. “But, nice try, to tempt me like that.”
She smiled up at him and stared into his eyes. “Tempted, eh?”
His smiled faded and his eyes grew serious. Robin felt her heart rate accelerate. “Like you wouldn’t believe,” he admitted softly, running a finger down her cheek.
“Disgusting!” Sarah said, storming into the room.
Tony frowned and lifted his head. Robin settled more comfortably against him. “I beg your pardon?” she asked.
Sarah pointed in the general direction of the kitchen. “That boy in there is disgusting. And crude.”
The dining room door swung open, and Derrick came through, wearing cotton pajama pants and a white T-shirt, holding a large tuna fish sandwich in one hand and a big glass of chocolate milk in the other. “You want to watch the game?” He asked Tony as he sat on the couch next to Robin.
“Sure,” Tony said. He gestured at the coffee table. “The television remote is the black one.”
“Seriously?” Sarah said, crossing her arms. “You’re just going to let him eat that in here?”
“I wasn’t rude. I offered her some,” Derrick said around a bite of tuna. He chewed and swallowed. “But she certainly did not want any.” He emphasized certainly and not to sound haughty.
Robin giggled and Sarah rolled her eyes. “I’m going to bed. I’ve had a long day. Goodnight.”
OBINopened the door to Sarah’s room and stopped short when she found her on the couch, reading a book. “Hey,” she said, coming all the way into the room and sitting next to her, setting the T-shirt and shorts Tony had loaned her on the cushion next to her. “I thought you were tired an hour ago.”
“I wasn’t, but I just didn’t want to stay in there with him and watch that silly basketball show.”
Robin raised an eyebrow. “With Tony?”
Sarah sighed. “Of course not. I love Tony.”
“So, Derrick then?”
“Yeah. Something about him irritates me. Maybe it’s just the smell of that canned fish he’s devouring.” Sarah’s eyebrows scrunched down behind her glasses, clearly perturbed.
“You must have just gotten off on the wrong foot. He’s really nice.”
Sarah put her book down and took off her glasses, then stretched. “I’ll take your word for it.” She looked around at the big, nicely furnished room. “It’s crazy to think that this will be our home soon, isn’t it?”
Robin nodded. “I’m having a hard time coming to grips with it myself. I don’t know how it happened.”
Sarah leaned over and hugged her. “Because you’re wonderful and you deserve happiness a thousand times over.”
“I don’t deserve anything more than anyone else.” Robin put her hands on the side of her head. “Look at this place. Your bedroom suite is the size of our entire apartment. How do I be a wife in this home?”
“You just learn how.” Sarah frowned. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“It feels so right with Tony when we’re at the O’Farrell’s house or our apartment. Nothing seems out of place.” Robin waved her hand. “It’s okay. I’m just stressing out loud. Don’t worry about it.”
“If you’re sure. I know that weddings are extremely stressful, even when you’re not marrying Boston royalty. It will get better, I just know it. You and Tony were meant to be.” Sarah stood. “I’m going to go to bed for real this time. Are you sleeping out here or in there with me?”
“With you, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course I don’t mind.”
Robin felt a pang of remembrance. “You used to sleep with me all the time,” she said, running her hand over her sister’s curly hair. “I was six when you came home from the hospital. But, you didn’t have a bed, so Maxi slept on the floor and you slept next to me. Your dad would always kiss you on the forehead. I remember him. I remember he was really nice. He was just kind of, y
ou know, not very smart I guess. I remember I’d get up at night and feed you and he would come in and sing heavy metal songs like lullabies.”
Sarah’s eyes filled with tears. “I wish I could remember.”
Robin felt a cold shudder go through her. “No, you don’t. You don’t ever want to remember.”
Greater Than Rubies: CHAPTER 5
AXINE opened the double door refrigerator and found the platter of sandwiches Tony said she would find there. Underneath, she found a container of potato salad and another one of cole slaw.
“Did you find everything, Maxi?” Robin asked, coming in behind her.
“I think so. If you’ll put the coffee on, I’ll set this out on the table.”
Maxine carried the large platter through the kitchen door and into the dining room. She arranged the platter on the end of the long, long table but left the plastic wrap on it. When she went back into the kitchen, Robin was just pressing the button to start the coffee machine.
“I’m going to go ask Tony where to find plates and such,” Robin said. “I don’t know if he wanted to use real things or if he had paper plates somewhere.”
“I’ll get these salads into something other than deli containers.” Maxine started opening cupboard doors. “Assuming I don’t get lost in this massive edifice searching for bowls.”
The door shut on Robin’s laugh. Maxine kept searching. She finally opened a door and found a walk-in supply closet filled with serving platters, serving dishes, and serving bowls. Drawers revealed silverware – real silver – with a “V” engraved on the handles. On the shelf, she discovered two small glass bowls that would perfectly present the deli salads.
When Maxine went back into the kitchen, she stopped short upon seeing Barry at the sink, filling a cup with hot water. “Hi there, big guy,” she greeted, hoping her lipstick was still on straight. She hadn’t checked it since she left for church that morning.
Greater Than Rubies, a Novella inspired by the Jewel Trilogy Page 5