Page 29 of Beauty and the Baker
“Cassandra has other things on her mind right now. I’m the least of her worries.”
“Should she be worried about something?” Charlie was concerned. He didn’t want anything upsetting Cassie.
“Oh no. I just meant with preparing for the baby.”
Charlie looked at the bear sitting on the desk. Cassie was thrilled and gave him a hug. “Is everything going to be all right?”
“I’m not a fortune teller, Charlie. I’m an angel. One of God’s appointed. Cassie has her own angel watching over her. I’m here for you.”
“You don’t look very good,” Charlie said. “In fact, you look very pale.”
“Charlie, I’m dead. I don’t think you would look your best either.”
“I’ve been near death.”
Mr. Pennyworth shook his head. “That isn’t the same. You recovered. Dead is dead, Charlie.”
“Sometimes I think I would be better off if I hadn’t survived. I don’t know if Weston will come out looking for me. Or if he will send his henchmen.”
“Don’t say that. You are meant for great things.”
“Do you know what they are?”
“I can’t say. Only the Creator knows.”
“Well I wish He would tell me.”
“You can ask Him anytime.”
“How’s that.”
“Through your prayers. He is always listening. He wants you to talk to Him.”
“Then why did he leave me alone? Why wasn’t He there when I was burning? Why did James die?”
“Perhaps He was. The burning was limited to your back. It could have been all of you. You were sent to a hospital where the doctors saved you. You were brought to Creede safely. As for James, I don’t question things like that.” Mr. Pennyworth shifted his position. “Did you ever think that your suffering helped someone else? That maybe they were made better because of your sacrifice?”
Charlie shrugged his shoulders. “I just don’t know. I can’t even think about it.”
“Well then, let’s talk about something else.” Mr. Pennyworth clapped his hands. “Have you seen anything unusual lately?”
“No. Like what?”
“I’m still searching for my Blanche. Normally we’d leave clues for each other. Little signals only we would know about. Sometimes it would be love notes. Other times it would be something only the two of us knew about.” He wiped his eyes with his fingers. “I’d leave her sunflowers in the summer. She’d leave buttons on my dresser.”
“Buttons?” Charlie asked.
“Yes. It was always three pearl buttons. They had fallen off one of my dress shirts. The buttons told me she’d always be there to fix anything.”
“Wait… I saw three buttons…”
“Charlie,” Cassie interrupted. She walked into the office and looked around. “Who are you talking to?”
Charlie looked at Max’s desk. There wasn’t anyone there. Mr. Pennyworth appeared to have vanished. “I was just talking to myself.”
Cassie looked at him a moment. “Our guests have arrived. I think you should come out and visit with us.”
“Do I have to? I’d rather just stay in here tonight. Or at least until it is time to go to bed.”
