What Dreams May Fall

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

“Grandma Lucy, do you want another cinnamon roll?” Connie asked. “I made plenty to get ready for your birthday party.”

It had taken Ruby a few weeks living here to realize that Connie had and always would preside over mealtimes. Ruby’s only job was to eat as much of Connie’s homemade cooking as possible and help Grandma Lucy cut her food if necessary.

“Got the morning news?” Connie’s husband asked, handing her yesterday’s paper with one hand and reaching out for the new one with his other. Ruby had been living here for months and couldn’t remember a single time Connie’s husband had spoken directly to her.

“It’s going to be a special day.” Connie was still standing, which wasn’t in the least unusual. By Ruby’s best approximation, Connie sat down during a meal once or twice a week and never for more than two or three minutes.

“More coffee?” she asked her husband, already standing over him with the pot in hand.

He grunted and held up his mug.

“So,” Connie continued with her announcement, “I’ll be at the gift shop this morning working on some plans for Grandma Lucy’s birthday party, then after lunch we’re having that nice young man from Seattle come by. Remember him, Grandma Lucy? He called a few days ago and said the two of you had a good talk about the Lord.”

“Of course. You’re talking about Elliot, the cancer doctor, right?”

Connie smiled proudly. “You remembered. That’s good.”

“He’d be a hard one to forget. That young man is hurting. I’ve been praying for him every day since we met in Seattle. It was when I went in for those silly memory tests, and Elliot was there in the cafeteria, and I just knew God was telling me to go over there and talk to him.” She shook her head. “Such a hard, sad life.”

Ruby wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to these strange, random visitors who stopped by Safe Anchorage, people who had run into Grandma Lucy weeks or months or sometimes even years ago to tell her how she’d led them to Christ or how God had answered some special prayer she’d prayed for them. For a retired missionary, she was certainly still letting God use her to lead people to salvation. Last year, Grandma Lucy had fallen so ill the doctors thought she was going to die in the hospital, so she recorded a video urging every last one of her friends and family members who weren’t yet saved to accept Jesus into their hearts. Connie had shown it to Ruby one night. The message gave her chills.

“I’m just so thankful you’re having a good day,” Connie said, pouring more tea into Grandma Lucy’s cup.

Grandma Lucy smiled. “It’s always a good day when the Lord’s in control.”

Ruby didn’t say anything. Did Grandma Lucy recall that yesterday she’d forgotten Ruby’s name? That she thought her mom was still alive baking bread rolls in Connie’s kitchen?

Nobody around the table seemed to have the heart to tell her.

Connie wiped her hands on the sides of her checkered apron and gave a big smile. “Well now, who’s hungry for more rolls?”