Gabriel's Promise (Gabriel's Inferno 4)

As the priest began the homily, Gabriel glanced over at the relics that were situated at the front of the church to the right of the altar. One of the relics belonged to St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Franciscan friar who was executed at Auschwitz. He had volunteered to die in the place of another man, a man who had a family.

In the face of such bravery, such sacrificial love, Gabriel felt very small. He was no saint, nor would he ever become one. As he held his daughter in his arms, he resolved to do better. To love his daughter and his wife to the best of his ability and to become a man of character, whom his daughter would look up to and admire.

Clare dozed in his arms, still enjoying the pacifier. The priest ended his homily and led the congregation in a series of prayers.

* * *

Julia snaked her hand inside the crook of Gabriel’s elbow, leaning against him. Instinctively, he pressed his lips to her temple.

She was keeping a secret. Although she justified her silence by hoping that the numbness in her leg was temporary, her conscience rebelled.

Her heart was full. And as was usual for her during such moments, she grew very still, pondering what was happening.

She was a wife, and now a mother. She was a student and a prospective professor. She was a daughter and a sister. And, like Gabriel, she had been plagued by loneliness and alienation in her younger years but was now surrounded by a large and loving family.

She felt the responsibility of her many blessings keenly. And she resolved to love and protect her child to the best of her ability. She squeezed Gabriel’s bicep—a gesture of affection—and smiled up at him.

* * *

Gabriel returned her smile, grateful that he had a partner, a wife, as he e

mbarked on the journey that was parenthood. And such a partner.

Julianne had always had an attractive figure, but she was even more beautiful now. Her cheeks were lightly flushed, and her chestnut hair was soft and falling in gentle waves to her shoulders.

Her curves were more pronounced on her slim frame. Her indigo-blue dress accentuated her cleavage. Gabriel tried to avert his eyes but failed. She really was magnificent.

Gabriel reflected on his hunger—a hunger not just for her body but for her. When he was tempted to feel shame for the way he desired her, he noted that God had made her beautiful. God had joined them together. An entire book of sacred Scripture was devoted to the pleasures of physical love.

“Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair.” And I will never see anything on this side of Heaven more beautiful than you.

Julianne was obviously tired. He saw that she was favoring her right foot. But before he could consider the cause, he was distracted by her plain, low-heeled shoes. She had an entire closet filled with extravagant high heels, many of which were, in Gabriel’s mind, works of art. But she hadn’t worn them. Gabriel shook his head at the lost podiatric opportunity. Perhaps her feet still felt swollen.

As the baptism proceeded, the baby frowned and lifted her fists but didn’t cry. Soon the priest was anointing her head and the final aspects of the rite were completed.

There were many mysteries in faith and in life. Marriage and family had always seemed mysterious to Gabriel. Yes, the links between people existed and they were, perhaps, the strongest bonds in the known universe. But how they emerged and persisted he could not exactly say. He couldn’t describe his love for Julianne, although he’d tried. He couldn’t describe the joy and delight he had in Clare, although he would endeavor to do so. Metaphors like light and riches and laughter came to mind.

Julianne’s hand found Gabriel’s and squeezed. The two of them joined the congregation in reciting the Lord’s Prayer, adding their thanks for their family and Katherine, but especially for Clare.

Many thoughts and emotions cascaded through Gabriel’s mind, along with the resolution to stay close to his wife and child.

Chapter Nineteen

Later that afternoon, Gabriel made a telephone call to Julianne’s uncle Jack.

Jack Mitchell was a private investigator who had helped Gabriel on more than one occasion, particularly when Julianne’s ex-roommate had threatened to post compromising videos of her on the Internet.

Gabriel described the black car that he’d seen in the neighborhood and asked Jack to look into it. Jack grunted and agreed, complaining that Gabriel’s description wasn’t much to go on.

Now Gabriel approached the threshold of his bedroom, holding a pair of champagne flutes. From the doorway, he could hear Julianne softly singing.

He peered into the room and found her holding Clare against her shoulder and dancing.

Julianne was singing a nursery rhyme to Clare, who appeared to be dozing. The baby’s head was uncovered and her hair was damp from her bath.

Gabriel was surprised at how curly the baby’s hair was.

Her mother’s movements slowed as she came to the end of the song. She kissed Clare’s cheek and placed her on her back in the playpen.