A/N: DO NOT READ THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE READ CHAPTER 61 (Chapter 60: First week wa New Partner PT2) POSTED 3/22/12 !

This is a short sort of vignette with the reactions of the burg regarding the pictures. My plan if I am able to do it, is do one of these a day leading up to the final chapter posting on Thursday 3/29/12 the one year anniversary to What does it mean to trust!

I hope you enjoy these…my little surprise for all my much loved fans of the story!

Burg Reaction 5: Momma Plum POV

I got back from the grocery store expecting to see our answering machine blown up with messages about what Stephanie had been up to. What she had blown up now. How she had embarrassed us, and disappointed us again. I was so use to this.

When I walked into the kitchen with the groceries I saw the blinking light and I rolled my eyes. Here we go again. I put away the groceries away and then walked over to the machine and pressed the button.

I was surprised when I heard Betsy asking if I had gotten an envelope in the mail. I had gotten the mail before I went to the grocery store and there was no white envelope in it. I filed it away and hit delete. When the next phone mail played it was Father Thomas requesting I call him back with a time he could come over and talk to Frank and I.

I thought that was a little old but then decided he probably wanted Frank and me to do something for the church they were always looking for volunteers and I wouldn't turn down anything they asked of us. He knew that. We were devoted church members. We made sure to make it every Sunday. I only wish Stephanie would attempt to go to church every now and then. But she hasn't stepped foot in the church in years. Probably afraid it would fall down around her if she did. I know I would be worried about it happening if she walked through the doors.

If she would go to church she would feel better. It would hopefully help her see what is important in life and get her back on the proper path in her life; a life of good burg living.

I pushed delete making a note to call father Thomas back when I was done. The final message was Martha once again asking if I had seen the envelope that she received; Odd. What is up with that envelope? I briefly wondered if it was something involving Stephanie.

I click the delete button picking up the phone and called Father Thomas. Frances Marshall answered the phone "Hello, you have reached Chambersburg Catholic Church, this is Frances Marshall." She said.

"Hi Frances this is Helen Plum. I am calling to speak to Father Thomas. He called while I was at the store so I am returning his phone call." I told her.

"Oh, Helen. Hold on a second I will see if he is available." She practically choked out as if she didn't know how to talk to me. I have known Frances for thirty plus years and now she was acting like she couldn't speak to me.

I waited a few minutes and Father Thomas came on the phone. "Mrs. Plum, how are you?" He asked me.

"I am doing good Father. I just got your voice mail and am returning your call." I told him.

"Mrs. Plum I wanted to setup a time to come by and talk to both you and Frank." He asked me.

"Father Thomas how about tomorrow night? I will fix dinner it will be ready right at six p.m. sharp." I told him already having the perfect meal in mind. Whenever the priest came to your house it was always the appropriate thing to feed him. It would be considered pour class to not feed the priest when he came calling.

"Mrs. Plum you need not go through that trouble." He told me; nonsense of course I did it was etiquette after all.

"Father Thomas you know you love my cooking. Just be here at six sharp and bring your appetite." I told him. I wonder if I could get Stephanie here. Maybe he could talk some sense into her and if that failed maybe he could perform an exorcism because there was no way she was living the life she was living without her being possessed by a demon maybe multiple demons.

"Okay Mrs. Plum. I know when I am out of my league and when arguing isn't going to work." he joked and I laughed.

"I will see you tomorrow night Father Thomas. We are looking forward to seeing you." I told him.

"Okay bye." He said and I hung up the phone.

I was going to have to get busy. I need to bake something for him, and plan our dinner in addition to making sure that this house was ready for his visit. I walked in the kitchen with new found purpose. I needed to get started for our special guest tomorrow night.

I picked up the phone I knew this was a mute point but on the off chance it would work I called the only number I knew to reach my daughter.

"Rangeman Security Company" A male voice answered.

"Hello, this is Helen Plum, Stephanie's mother. I need to talk to my daughter it is of an urgent matter." I told the man who answered the phone.

"Mrs. Plum I am sorry but Stephanie doesn't take phone calls." I was told. That was insane I am her mother of course she takes my phone calls.

"Young man, I am her mother of course she takes my phone calls." I told him annoyed that he would even think for a moment that she wouldn't take my phone call. I wasn't sure where he was getting that crap from. I am sure it was something that thug she is dating told his men to say this crap to just keep her away from me. He had instructed them to say this so he could keep driving the wedge between us making it bigger because he wanted to control her.

"Mrs. Plum Stephanie made it real clear that your calls are not to be forwarded to her. I would be glad to take a message and give it to her. If she wants to call you back I am sure she will call you when she can." The man said. I could feel myself going insane at how calm his voice was.

"Young man I don't think you understand I told you it was urgent I don't have time for her to call me back. I need to speak to her now. I am not going to hang up this phone until you put her on the phone." I threatened him my anger rising in me.

"Mrs. Plum you need to calm down, you can hold the phone all day but I am going to hang up and then I am going to give your daughter your message so I would suggest you hang up the phone so if she is inclined to call you back she will be able to get through." The man said in his calm voice that I wanted to strangle.

The calmer he remained the more enraged I became. He was driving me insane and pushing me and yet his voice was calm he sounded as if he was laid back and his voice never rose.

"Young man I am tired of this conversation I don't care what you say or what you are going to do I want my daughter on the phone this minute." I demanded virtually screaming in the phone.

"Mrs. Plum I am hanging up now have a good day." And I heard a click of the phone. I screamed in rage. How dare him hang up on me. I put the phone down and immediately picked it back up dialing the number again. The same annoying voice answered the phone the same way.

"Rangeman Security Corporation" and I wanted to scream at the man.

"What is your name young man" I demanded my voice taunt with anger I could feel my body radiating with it. This man was driving me insane.

"Who wants to know" the annoying voice asked me like he didn't know who I was or he hadn't just talked to me not more than a second before.

"You know who I am, my name is Helen Plum I am Stephanie's mother." I told the dumb man on the phone.

"According to her she no longer has a mother so I am going to need further proof of who you are. Do you have a Rangeman account number? Are you a customer of Rangeman? If not, then I am not going to be able to assist you further. The only calls she is currently taking are Rangeman Customer accounts she manages." He told me and I know this time my anger caused me to scream into the phone.

"No I am not a customer of Rangeman, I wouldn't hire your company if you were the last company on the planet I would risk someone stealing everything I had before I would hire your company to secure anything of mine. Knowing you people you probably only secure the properties so you have access and then you can steal what you want." I screamed at the top of my lungs into the phone.

"I want to speak to my daughter, I demand you put he on the phone or I am going to consider she is being held without her permission and I am going to file a complaint with the police department do you understand me young man. They will storm your precious building and take my daughter from you after I make my complaint to the police department. No one would believe you, nor would anyone believer her. Everyone knows your reputation and everyone knows that Stephanie is nothing but a liar." I screamed into the phone. Breathing heavy my eyes widen my body shaking.

"Calm down Mrs. Plum. I don't think Stephanie has anything to worry about. You do what you have to do as far as the police are concerned but if you call back here I will consider it harassment and I will have to make a phone call of my own. I can't promise you exactly who I will call but I can promise you won't be so happy about it. After all like you said we are nothing but a bunch of murderers, thieves, and thugs. So I wouldn't want for us to let you down or make a liar out of you. Sleep well Mrs. Plum." He said before he hung up.

My mouth was gapping open my heart was beating wildly he had threatened me. He had threatened me, Stephanie's mother. I briefly wondered what he would do I started to call him back but fear gripped me would he make that call, what would happen? Would they come in here in the middle of the night and kill Frank and me?

I laid the phone back on the hook and walked to the refrigerator where I opened the freezer and pulled out a chilled bottle of vodka. I didn't bother with a glass I needed something and I needed it now. So I took a swig swallowing it quickly to get that slight burn over with. I needed something to help calm my nerves down. Hearing that man's voice had enraged me and his threat had scared me I needed some comfort.

I didn't know what it was about his voice but maybe it was he was so calm I don't know but he had enraged me to the point I wanted to scrape out his eyeballs with my fingernails.

I took a nice long swig and sat down at the table. I hadn't bothered to close the freezer door it stood open cold air filtering down on the floor. I didn't care. I lifted my face up to the sky closed my eyes and let the slow warming of my belly wash over me allowing me to relax and focus back on the task at hand; getting ready for Father Thomas.

I woke up Wednesday morning with renewed energy. I had let that young man get the best of me yesterday with Stephanie not taking my calls at Rangeman but we were having Father Thomas over tonight and I needed to make sure we put our best foot forward. So I couldn't think about Stephanie today.

Not only was he a guest he was the priest at our church and I didn't want him going to another house in the burg and having a better meal, better dessert, or their house be cleaner than mine. That wasn't going to happen. I had baked my personal specialty cake last night. Today I was going to make my famous gravy with pasta.

My gravy was fixed early in the morning and allowed to simmer all day long then right before dinner I would fix the pasta al dente and then combine them. I would finish it with homemade garlic bread and a nice salad with homemade Italian dressing. I had parmesan cheese ready to grate.

The cake was a lemon cake with lemon chiffon filling and a wonderful lemon butter crème icing the cake will melt in your mouth and it is the perfect light bodied sweet to sour combination with the heavier bodied meal I had planned. I had picked out a nice red wine to pair with everything.

Often times when you had pasta you had white wine but the heavy bodied red sauced gravy it called for the heavier bodied red wine.

I had gone about blanching the tomatoes so I could peel them easier and then started smashing them to start the base of the gravy. Once they were smashed and warming I would take a pan and sauté onions, green peppers in olive oil until they were soft. I would then take that and combine it with the tomatoes allowing it to condense and thicken. I would add the seasonings just before turning down the heat to simmer. Garlic, basil, oregano all perfect combinations to taste. I knew exactly the taste I was looking for when I had the perfect combination and then I would lower to a simmer.

In the pan I sautéed the onions and peppers I would then brown the ground meat chopping it finely as it browned. I would then drain it well so I wasn't adding additional grease to my gravy and then combine it mixing it in so that everything could combine and hang out for the day getting all happy together.

Once I had the sauce simmering it was time to start the bread. After all it had to rise two times. I mixed up the ingredients for the bread kneading it. The key to great bread is kneading it no one ever kneaded it enough. Bread loves to be kneaded. Pie crusts not so much they like more just being combined or they got tough but bread was different the more you kneaded it the more air you worked into the bread and the softer and lighter it became.

So my rule was to knead it until I thought I couldn't knead it anymore and then continue to knead it. Once I had it kneaded I put it in a greased bowl to rise covering the bowl with saran wrap and then my bread cloth I put it close to the warm stove but not close enough to cook the dough.

I had mixed up the Italian dressing last night while the cake was baking so now it was time to get the house ready for our guest. I noticed it was still morning a couple of hours before noon and I was glad that Frank would be with the guys because that gave me more time to get everything done for tonight.

I had been working hard getting the house clean when I heard the front door slam open and I jumped my heart jumped in my throat. My first thought was they had sent someone after me that the annoying man on the phone yesterday had made that call and they were coming for me.

I stepped forward hesitant stretching my neck to see into the entry foyer right across from he living room. I still couldn't see and didn't hear anything until the door slammed again making me jump in my place.

I ran forward and I saw frank; what in the world is he doing slamming doors. I took a deep calming breathe.

"Frank, what in the world. What is wrong? Why are you slamming the door? Why are you home, don't you normally go to the lodge with the guys after your taxi shift?" I asked him not able to understand what had him home during the morning hours on a Wednesday. Even close to lunch he didn't typically come home as he spent it with the guys at the lodge.

He held up an envelope "look familiar" he asked me at first I was confused then it dawned on me that this was the envelope that everyone had been calling me about yesterday.

"Well it's an envelope; I wonder if it is the same envelope others were calling me about yesterday asking if I received." I told him and I was a little confused at the look of disgust on his face and his head nodding that I was right. He wasn't making any sense the way he was acting. I just stood there watching him.

"Oh it's the same envelope. Let's us go in the dining room and sit at the table and take a peak shall we?" He asked me and I could hear a change in his voice. I had never heard his voice so cold towards me but I responded to his request and walked into the dining room. My stomach was fluttering with butterflies something wasn't right.

I sat down at the table but Frank remained standing towering over me but I tried not to focus on that waiting on him. He opens the envelope and pulls out what appears to be some pictures and starts putting them down in front of me. My eyes graze over them and when it registers what I am seeing I grab the picture my mouth opened wide my eyes widen. I briefly register my head is moving back and forth shaking no this was a bad dream, this wasn't happening, this isn't what I think it is it's all a dream. I am screaming on the inside even though nothing has broken through I am frozen other than my head moving back and forth right now I don't know if I could stop it if I wanted.

My eyes filled up with the tears the more pictures they took in and finally my voice broke free as the scream broke loose. I could hear myself saying no and screaming but it felt like a dream, it all felt like a bad dream a really bad dream that I couldn't wake up from.

I looked up at Frank my fear rising in me he had seen these pictures. Frank had seen the pictures of me with another man. My world was crumbling around down around me. Frank had seen the pictures and I could see the looks of disgust on his face how he could barely stand to look at me. Frank had loved me, he loved me and provided for me and I had thrown it all away for what? For my daughter I had done this for my daughter, for Stephanie.

"Frank please let me explain. I did this for Stephanie." I pleaded for him to understand why. He shook his head no. My eyes filled up with more tears until they started to spill down he didn't believe me; he didn't believe me.

He spoke his words hard and icy "Helen don't hand me that shit. You didn't do this" he said pointing to the pictures "for Stephanie, you did this because you wanted to do this. You wanted to suck his dick" he picked up the picture of Joe's privates in my mouth "you wanted him to fuck you in the ass" he picked up the picture of him in my backside "and in your pussy" he picked up the picture of him pushing into me "don't give me any shit that it was for our daughter. It was for you because you are a whore, Helen." he screamed in anger and threw the pictures back on the table I had never heard words come out of Frank directed to me like that.

I had never seen him like this before and I was frozen only my head moving back and forth me singling no he was wrong I had done this for my daughter, our daughter; hadn't I?

He glared at me his eyes narrowed as he started to speak. "This was your doing; this wasn't because of our daughter this wasn't for our daughter this is all on you. I hope you are happy because everyone in the burg received a packet just like this yesterday. Our daughter mailed them to everyone in the burg." He said and my mouth gapped open again and tears sprung forward in my eyes as they once again continued to spill down my face as a new scream broke free. This couldn't be happening to me.

Frank spoke up again "Helen, I am leaving you. I hope he" he pointed to the pictures "was worth it because not only were you unsuccessful at getting Stephanie to go back to him you just cost yourself our marriage. With everyone seeing these pictures I can't continue to live here and stay here and pretend that you are my wife. You aren't my wife not the woman I thought I married and I am moving out. I will be gone by nightfall." He said and more tears fell. Not able to comprehend what Frank was saying. My brain had shut down.

"Frank oh please no, you can't leave me over this. I was doing what I thought was right, what I could do to keep Joe from walking away from Stephanie from giving up on Stephanie and not wanting her as his wife." I exclaimed begging pleading for Frank to see reason for him to understand and believe me.

"Oh Helen that makes it all better I am glad you set it all straight for me. Because Stephanie would have really wanted him after she found out about this." He said once again pointing to the pictures. "She would really want him and she would still want you in her life. You think she wouldn't have found out, she would have. The worst part is he is a womanizer, and I am sure he is abusive he doesn't look as if he was so gentle with you but then again you weren't really complaining either." He screamed at me, that wasn't true. I would never admit he was right about that. That wasn't the case.

"Helen own it, this is what you wanted, this is what you did, not because of Stephanie, not for Stephanie you wanted to fuck him and you did and you enjoyed it the proof is in the pictures. You know they say a picture is worth a thousand words in this case I would say a hundred thousand words as everyone we know are talking about them. How could you have been this dumb to have wanted that and risked everything we had. All I can say is I hope it was worth it." He said but I couldn't answer him. His words ringing in my head was he right? No I had done this for our daughter it was for her not for me. Frank was wrong; he was wrong.

Frank got up from the table and started walking away going up the stairs. I heard him but I couldn't do anything but just listen to his footsteps because I was frozen in place. He was right everyone had seen these pictures. This is why I was getting the calls asking if I had seen the envelope. This is why people in the grocery store were looking at me and snickering this is why they were laughing at me; at me, they were laughing at me, not Stephanie.

Oh my god I had been use to them laughing at Stephanie but never me. They never laughed at me they laughed at her she was the embarrassment and the disappointment of our family not me. I had done this for her, I had done this so she could become an upstanding citizen of the burg and this is how I was being repaid pictures sent to everyone. Everyone whispering behind my back, Frank leaving me, oh god and Father Thomas coming to visit now I had no doubt what his visit was about.

How was I going to survive this? How was I going to fix this? How was I going to convince Frank to stay with me? Oh my god Father Thomas would be here in a matter of a few hours and Frank was going to leave me how would that look for him not to be here when Father Thomas got here? How was I going to face Father Thomas? It wasn't like I had confessed any of this during any of my confessions and church.

Suddenly my feet were moving, I was racing to find Frank I had to make him stay with me. I had to make him see that I loved him. That I only did this so our strayed daughter could have a life that would make her happy he had to believe that.

"Frank" I screamed as I made my way up the stairs.

"Frank please listen to me." I begged as I got closer to our bedroom. Walking into our bedroom I could see Frank busy loading clothes into a suitcase.

"Frank I love you; I did this for our daughter so she could have the live that she could be happy. So that she could be a member of the burg and fulfill her life." I pleaded with him to see my reasoning.

"Helen what makes you think our daughter is unhappy now?" He asked me and I sucked in air.

I wasn't sure I knew the answer to that question but I wasn't going to admit it here and now. "Because how could she be happy? She lives in a building with a bunch of questionable men who are killers, thugs, and thieves who just earlier today threatened me because I called and asked to speak to my daughter. How could she be happy? I think they are holding her against her will actually after all why would she refuse to take a call from her mother?" I asked him and he just looked at me.

"Helen I am not sure you are hearing yourself right now. I could give you ten reasons and they are all down there inside that envelope why she wouldn't take a call from you. There are no indications whatsoever that she is being held against her will. She went with Ranger because like she told you she is in love with him, she is going to marry him, why couldn't you just accept that and move on? Why did you even try to push her to Joe and exactly why did you think you fucking him was going to get her to go back to him?" He screamed at me his face turning redder by the second.

"I...I..." I started but I wasn't sure how to answer the questions. When I heard him scream at me the questions they sounded off in my head and I wasn't sure I knew the answer to them either at this very second.

"Frank how could she be happy she won't have children, she lives with a bunch of men a building she doesn't have a home to care for how can she be happy?" I screamed back at him. My anger rising in me because deep down I am not certain of the answer was Stephanie or because of Stephanie? Those were questions I couldn't afford myself to answer right now; I didn't want to know.

"Helen maybe it isn't your vision or your idea of what makes a woman happy, but maybe it is Stephanie's vision and idea of what makes her happy and in the end isn't that what should be most important?" He threw at me like now he all of a sudden knew what made her happy.

"Frank for the past thirty plus years, since I gave birth to Stephanie you have never once said anything other than agreeing with me when it came to what would make Stephanie happy so don't go giving your opinions now you just need to listen to me. I am a woman, I am her mother, I know her, I raised her, I know what makes her happy. I know what women what, I know what makes women happy, and I know what will make our daughter happy. If she thinks she is happy then maybe in this moment she is happy I am not certain but I am certain that she won't be happy when she is older, when she is looking back on her life she won't be happy. She will be miserable and she will be sorry she made the choices she made but she will be too old then to change them and make a difference. I don't want that life for her I don't want her to look back and regret the stupid choices she is making today because she thinks it is making her happy." I screamed at him. How dare him question what I know will make our daughter happy.

"Helen even if everything you said is true, which I don't think it is, but if it were true you doing what you did, fucking the Morelli boy, wasn't going to get her back if anything it was just going to push her further away further into the life that you are so destined to believe that she is unhappy with." He screamed back at me.

"Well maybe I made a poor decision but you leaving me walking out tonight is a poor decision as well. You need to think about it and stay at least for the night. If tomorrow you feel the same then I won't fight you but you at least need to stay the night. Besides you have no place to go." I tried to reason with him. I tried to push the emphasis that he had no where to stay so he had to spend the night here. He had to be here when Father Thomas came I couldn't face Father Thomas alone.

"Helen I don't need a place to stay there are hotels I can stay at until I figure out where I am going. I am not the one that wants to leave. Did you think this morning when I got up that I wanted to leave my home for good today? No, it is you that's reason I need to leave. How would I look as a man if I stayed with you? After what everyone received in the mail if I did nothing and remained with you what would I be telling everyone of the burg as to the man I am? A man whose wife can fuck someone three ways to Sunday be shamed in front of all the burg when her dirty laundry is aired to everyone we know and I do nothing. I stay with you, stand beside you, and tell everyone what exactly that you did this for Stephanie and allow them to laugh at the insanity of it all right in our faces?" He screamed questioning me.

"Well I don't know what it would say. Maybe it would say that you love your wife enough to forgive her." I shot back radiating with anger. I was mad but I knew my anger was misguided but right now I didn't have the right person to take my anger out on so Frank was filling in. My daughter is who I should be screaming at after all none of this would be happening right now if she hadn't sent those pictures.

"It is Stephanie who you should be mad and at not defending none of this would be happening right now if she hadn't sent those pictures." I yelled at him.

"No none of this would be happening if you hadn't done what you did. I knew you were sleeping with someone I had seen the marks left on your body but I didn't know who and I was able to pretend that it wasn't happening and continuing to live the life we have. I don't want to give it up. But blaming Stephanie isn't fair you did those things, it is you in those pictures it isn't like I can un-see that. I have no desire to touch you ever after seeing those pictures." He said to me the anger had dissipated a little and his voice was coming down to a more normal level. But it wasn't making me happy, it was scarring me more; he was serious.

"Besides Helen, I have a little confession of my own while all of our dirty little secrets seem to be coming out today. I have been having an affair on you. Just so you know I have, for the past several years, been fucking Angela Morelli, your best friend, whenever I can get a chance. Every time she calls me over to her house or whenever I can sneak over there. So you aren't the only unfaithful one in this marriage."

I couldn't get enough air, the room spun around before, my eyes unable to focus as I sucked for air I felt myself falling and darkness taking over as his words echoed through my head. My husband had been screwing another woman, my best friend, for years. Oh my god Frank had been with another woman besides me. How could he? Were all the thoughts flowing through my head until the darkness claimed me. I briefly felt myself falling but I never felt myself hit the floor; the darkness had claimed me.

I woke up alone in the bedroom; on the floor. I had no idea how long I had been there. I had no idea how long I had been lying on the floor. Why exactly was I lying on the floor? How had I come to be lying on the floor? I slowly sat up holding my head that was throbbing.

I was confused and unable to focus for the moment as I tried to figure out what had happened. All of sudden memories started to fill my head of Frank and I arguing, him packing, he was going to leave me, the pictures, and the anger in both of our voices. Ten the calm icy demeanor he took when he told me that he had been having an affair for years with Angela Morelli. Tears sprung forward and I was livid.

I wanted to rip her face off for sleeping with my husband. Just because her husband was dead she didn't need to go after my husband. I was nice and sent him over there to help her because I felt sorry she didn't have a husband to do things that a husband should I didn't send him over there to have sex with her. How dare him, her, them.

I stood up easy trying to make sure I had my legs under me before I attempted to walk. I looked around the room no suitcase no clothing on the bed. Frank had left. He had left me on the floor and he had walked out. He hates me wants nothing to do with me. He can be mad at me for sleeping with Joseph but I am not supposed to be mad at him for sleeping with Angela my best friend? If I could forgive him for that he could forgive me for Joseph right? Maybe there was some hope to save our marriage after all. I just needed to get to Frank to explain that; he would understand right?

I went down the stairs and I knew he was gone the house was quite. I looked out and his car was gone. I wouldn't go after him tonight I would let him cool. But tomorrow I would think about that tomorrow. Maybe Father Thomas would have some suggestions. I had a feeling our talk was going to be one of confessions tonight.

I walked back into my kitchen, in my domain and I felt better. This was one area of my life that I had control over, the kitchen. I looked over at the bread and realized it was past the time to punch it down and got busy punching the bread down I formed the dough into three balls from the dough, rolling them out until they were long logs. I combined the long logs at one end and proceeded to braid the bread. I then set it aside to rise. I got out the butter to allow it to come to room temperature and soften while I got out the clove of garlic that I cut the top off of and proceeded to put in the oven to roast.

The kitchen was my domain it was where I ruled. Even in all the mess of my life right now I could control something. I could still focus and accomplish tasks at hand effortlessly; I ruled this domain.

I finished up dinner and sat the table. I almost broke down in tears when I only set it for two and Frank's place sat empty in front of his chair. I wasn't going to fill his seat with anyone until he came back to me. He would come back I would be sure of it. That was tomorrows focus not today I couldn't think about that anymore today.

It was almost six so I sat out the wine, I pulled the bread out of the oven and then sliced a few slices layering on the garlic butter I had prepared with the roasted garlic and placed it back in the hot oven to toast with the garlic butter and freshly grated parmesan cheese to melt for a few minutes while I put the finishing touches on the gravy and cooked the pasta in the boiling salted water.

I felt powerful in my kitchen, I felt like I had purpose in my kitchen, I felt like my life was normal when I was in my kitchen. I didn't need to think about Frank, Stephanie, the Burg, or god forbid those horrid pictures. I had just finished plating the second plate when I heard a knock at the door. Father Thomas was here. I took a calming breath and proceeded to let our guest in.

"Father Thomas please come on in and make yourself at home. Dinner is ready I just need to put it on the table." I informed him and he nodded.

"Mrs. Plum thank you for having me over, and thank you for fixing dinner for me I hope it wasn't any trouble." He said and I just smiled shaking my head.

"It's never any trouble I am just glad you called. You don't come over enough." I told him as we made our way into the dining room. I motioned for him to have a seat as preceded into the kitchen to get our plates. I served him first the salad and then I went to retrieve our dinner plates. Coming back to the table I sat the plate in front of him and then I took my seat across the table from him.

My stomach wasn't feeling the greatest but I forced myself to be polite and eat with him after we had taken several initial bites Father Thomas spoke.

"Helen this is incredible." I smiled of course it was incredible I had no doubt.

"Where is Frank tonight, why is he missing this wonderful dinner?" He asked me and I forced a smile on my face even though I didn't want to. I didn't want him to know that Frank had left me because I had every intention of getting him back without anyone, including Father Thomas, knowing he had left.

"Father he is going to be out this evening. He should be home later. We are going through something right now that has him a little upset and he needs to work through his thoughts." I told him. I wasn't sure how much he knew or had seen I really hoped he hadn't seen because how would I continue to seat across from him knowing he knew what I did and had seen the pictures.

"About the problems you are going through that is why I am here." He started and I felt my stomach jump in my throat. I put my fork down trying to decide if I could swallow back what was edging up my throat or if I should just excuse myself and head toward the bathroom. My mouth filling with saliva this wasn't good.

"You know I am here to listen, you know I will help you in whatever way I can. I can offer forgiveness if you ask, I can offer counseling if you feel you need it. Please allow me to help you through this difficult time you and your family are going through." He said and I knew I needed to excuse myself.

I nodded standing up "excuse me for a second I will be right back" I walked calmly out of the room but once I was out of sight I was flying to the bathroom with my hand covering my mouth to keep from making a mess. I made it in time to spill the contents of my stomach.

Father Thomas knew. He already knew. I thought as panic continuing to rise in me. He must have seen the pictures. Tears sprang forward in my eyes. This was a nightmare; my life was over.

I composed myself, I had guests in my house it wouldn't do any good for me to hide in the bathroom what kind of host would I be. I cleaned my face and I straightened my back and then my clothing as I made my way out of the bathroom and back to join my guest setting at the table.

"I am sorry about that Father Thomas. Where were we?" I asked fully well knowing where we were but not wanting to admit it.

"I come to offer you my services if you need it. I feel you are a troubled lamb in my flock and I wanted to reach out to you. Just so you know I saw the contents of the envelope. A packet was delivered to the church." He told me and I saw red why would she mail the church those pictures? Was she insane, did she want God to strike her dead for such a heinous act? I briefly thought about asking him about exorcisms again as that just further proved she was possessed.

I didn't know what to do, what to say tears filled my eyes and I said the only thing I could think of. "Please forgive me Father for I have sinned." I practically wailed at him.

"My child forgiveness is granted. You will need to rebuild the trust within your community and within the church and ask others for forgiveness but the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit forgive you." He said and I instantly felt better.

"I came to talk to you about one other thing as well. Some of the members of the church have expressed their concern with you leading the children and teaching the children in Sunday school. I have been asked to inform you that you no longer need to provide those services. The church thanks you for your years of services to date but from this point on we no longer require your service to the church in that manner. If you want for me to find other areas where you can volunteer your service I would be happy to." He told me and I felt another area of my life falling apart.

I had prided myself on the work I have done with the church and teaching Sunday school was a statement all its own as to your position within not only the church but the burg. New tears sprung forward spilling down my face once again as I realized my life was in shambles. No Husband, No Church, No friends in the burg, I was the laughing stock of the burg along and the most talked about embarrassment of all.

I had Stephanie my no good daughter who had to send those pictures; pictures that ruined my life to thank for all of it.

My life was falling to pieces and I didn't even know which piece to pick up first. It was shattered. I could only think of one thing while the tears poured down my cheeks how did you pick up a shattered life?

I wasn't even sure that Father Thomas could help me with that one as he had shattered another area of my life with his announcement.