The Trouble With Angels Page 0,33

and hard about his problems and hadn't come up with a single brilliant idea.

"What kind of miracle?" Shirley asked, her look skeptical. Goodness knew the third member of their team would be the one she'd need to convince the most. But before she could talk Shirley into participating, she had to come up with a plan of action.

"That's just it. I don't know what to do for him. Something that will elevate his faith. Something that will prove that his prayers have been heard, and that he is loved."

"Something that will let him know that if he feels distant from God, God isn't the one who moved."

"Exactly." Mercy's insight surprised Goodness. "Paul seems to think that God closed the door in his face."

"And bolted it shut."

"Right again, Mercy." Once more her peer's assessment of the situation impressed her.

"Exactly what are you two planning?" Shirley did a good job of imitating Gabriel's stern, distrustful look.

"We aren't planning anything yet," Goodness assured her. "That's the reason I called you both here. I need ideas."

"All I can say," Shirley muttered in a righteous tone, "is that you better not think about talking to him through a television set. Gabriel will yank all three of us out of here so fast it'll make our heads spin."

"I agree." Goodness knew without being reminded that anything to do with the electronic media would be pushing her luck. She'd asked for this assignment but was only now beginning to fully appreciate the difficulty of her task.

For several days now she'd been watching Reverend Morris. His son's engagement had been an unexpected blow. He'd hidden his feelings from Joe and Annie well.

The poor man was torn. He remembered all too well what it was to be young and in love, yet at the same time he'd been looking forward to spending time alone with his son.

"Any ideas?" Goodness threw out the question, ready and willing to listen to suggestions.

"Sure." Shirley's enthusiasm for this project surprised Goodness. "We could rearrange the pews, and move the choir loft over there." She pointed to a row of stained-glass windows against the long side wall of church.

"That's not a miracle, that's a mess," Goodness objected.

"Reverend Morris will think the building was struck by vandals," Mercy said.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Shirley asked, eyeing the two of them.

"You could also talk to Reverend Morris," Mercy suggested. "Not through a television screen, but one on one."

"What would I say?"

Goodness's tender heart went out to the man of God. She sincerely did want to help Reverend Morris in a way that would prove to Gabriel and others that she had matured. With this new level of personal growth, she could then handle the more complicated assignments on a regular basis instead of these once-a-year jobs.

"A miracle," Mercy said, running her agile fingers silently along the organ's keyboard.

"And not the opening from Phantom of the Opera, either."

"But I love Andrew Lloyd Webber's music."

"I know, but resist."

"All right," Mercy said, and with a sigh placed her hands in her lap. "I'm not much help, am I?"

"Don't worry about it."

Mercy glanced over her shoulder and then lowered her voice. "I'm keeping a low profile these days. After the trick with Joy's car and then arranging for her to win the drawing at the radio station."

"How'd you manage that?"

"You don't want to know."

"She changed the writing on the winning ticket," Shirley said in what was apparently a guess.

"But it worked," Mercy said defensively. "Ted and Joy are attending the game together this evening. I think we should all be there. The Lakers against the Seattle Sonics. It's going to be a great game, and who knows, we just might be to able to lend a hand now and again."

"Mercy, you shock me." This came from Shirley.

"Go on ahead without me," Goodness told her friends. "I'll join you later."

The two looked uncertain, as if they weren't sure they should leave their cohort behind.

"I insist."

"Are you going to work your miracle?"

"Yes," Goodness said decisively. Her eye caught the nativity scene placed to the side of the altar. The life-size figures were arranged inside the stable. Mary, Joseph, the wise men, and the shepherds gathered around the manger bed. The star atop the wooden stable was what caught Goodness's attention.

An angel. Perhaps Goodness was overlooking the obvious. She need only be herself.

A noise at the far end of the church attracted Goodness's attention. With no time to waste, she rushed to the manger scene and positioned herself at the appropriate spot