Patrick's World

“Matthew, you’re not going to believe this,” she said, mournfully.

“What am I not going to believe?” he asked, staring at her dark brown eyes that filled with tears.

“Joseph Jamison came to do the good deed his parents asked him to do,” Amanda said, wiping her eyes.

“Which is?”

“He never told me exactly what the deed was but he had to give something to this church so I directed him to Lawrence,” Amanda explained, worriedly.

“Amanda, no one has seen him but you,” Matthew said, curiously.

“He said that he saw Lawrence … you mean Lawrence didn’t meet him?”

“No, I told you no one as seen him, is he real?”

“Yes, of course he’s real, I ate dinner with him and I watch him eat,” Amanda said, annoyed.

“Who are his parents?”

“Allen and Alyssa Jamison are his parents and they’ve been dead since the death of their second child a daughter,” Amanda explained, distressed.

“What?”

“They were killed on the way home from Mercy Hospital the night that their baby daughter died and they left a nine years old son, Joseph,” Amanda said, tearfully.

No one saw that their pastor’s door was slightly opened, standing behind the door was Patrick listening to the sad story, and it was that moment that he understood what God did for him those were angels sent to guide him back. “Don’t give up on your daughter as we gave up on ours,” they had said, he recalled softly. He cleared his throat and entered the room as if he’d been busy with the sermon he held in his hand. He looked from face to face waiting for one of them to speak but no one said a word.

“Well, does he have a phone number?” Patrick asked her.

“Yes, he does but…,” she stuttered, startled by the question.

“Get it for me, I need to talk with him,” Patrick said, returning to his office, he closed the door to wait for the number and he thought about what he would say to the young man.

“Get the number, Amanda,” Matthew said, sharply.

“You don’t understand he didn’t want anyone to know where he lived and I told him that I wouldn’t give anyone his address or phone number,” Amanda said, quietly.

“You shouldn’t have done that it was a bad judgment call, Patrick should’ve been the one to talk with him,” Matthew said, irritated.

“I’ll call him to see if he’ll see Reverend Murphy,” Amanda said, with a sigh.

“Please try to convince him to talk with us,” Matthew said, going into the pastor’s office to talk with the distressed Patrick Murphy.

Matthew stood in front of the large desk; his mentor had his back to him for he was gazing out the huge picture window. It was late but the sun hadn’t set as of yet and the evening sky was a rosy red color that meant it was going to be hot tomorrow. Patrick felt the stare of his assistant’s dark brown eyes on his back that made him feel creepy.

“What is it that you want?” Patrick asked, troubled.

“Amanda is trying to get in touch with him,” Matthew said, gently.

“Why doesn’t she give me the number?”

“She had to promise not to give his number or address to anyone,” Matthew said, nervously watching his oddly quiet employer. “Patrick, is there more to this story than you’ve told us?”

Patrick Murphy sighed deeply; he looked at his assistant who saw unspoken grief on his rugged face. “I cannot explain what I feel at the moment, there are no words, which help me tell you what I saw and felt that night,” Patrick answered, sadly.

“You believe that they were angels?” Matthew asked, troubled.

“I believe that they were God sent because only he knew how I felt that miserable night,” Patrick said, sighing. “Matthew, I felt hopeless until I talked with them.”

“You know the God sent Enoch an angel so why wouldn’t he send you divine help,” Matthew said, trying to console the older man.

“I am but a servant of the Lord who doesn’t deserve such blessings, I have made so many mistakes,” Patrick said, sadly.

“I see why your wife wants me back in your life, Patrick, you preached at me that everyone sins, its knowing that an asking God’s forgiveness that’s what counts,” Matthew said, boldly.

“Aye, I know all of that and I do recall what I preached to you but don’t throw my words back in my face,” Patrick said, annoyed.

“How else am I going to get you out of this bad mood?”

“You could try slapping him,” Sean said, coming in the office and shutting the door quietly. “I could hear you two outside of this office, what’s the matter with you both?”

“Sean, why are you here?” Patrick asked, with a sigh.