I published this novel last summer. I began to write the story in 2007. It is a work of fiction and not based on any individual’s plight. I had learned at that time of community members and neighbors who struggled with cancer. It led me to wonder in general how individuals and the families could cope with the helplessness this terrible and dreaded disease brings with it. For my main characters I chose a church minister and his family thinking that of all people such a family might cope best. In the early months of 2011 I proofread the novel for the third time in preparation of trying to publish it. It was during this time that I learned that my oldest daughter had been diagnosed with an incurable cancer. My first reaction was to delete the manuscript in its entirety. However, my daughter asked me not to do so but try to publish it. 
During the next few weeks I plan to post excerpts from the novel that hopefully, will give readers a glimpse into the story. The first excerpt involves several of the characters who have a prominent part in the story. I chose this segment to introduce the reader to as many of the book’s characters in one excerpt as possible. Please enjoy this first excerpt.
Danielle slowed down her breathing before she picked up the telephone and said, “Hello, this is Danielle.”
“Did I catch you at a bad time?” Lois laughed. “I didn’t wake you up, did I? You used to be a night hawk before you got married.”
“Lois, where are you!” We didn’t expect you until Saturday evening.” Danielle sat down knowing that speaking to Lois would not be quick.
“I’m in London. Got in last night, and was about to go for an early breakfast, but then thought I better call you first before it gets too late there. I’m in this strange, big city and I just wanted to hear a friendly voice. I was sure Mom and Dad would be sleeping already, but like I said you used to be a night hawk. It’s early Thursday morning here, but you will still have Wednesday night there.” She giggled and teased, “But then you always were slower than I was.”
“Not to speak of being able to talk a mile a minute. Your friends called you Lois the lip, didn’t they?”
“I’ve changed. But how are you? And how is that handsome husband of yours and sweet baby Deborah?”
Danielle beamed when she spoke of Douglas and Deborah. “That sweet baby will have her fourth birthday soon, but sometimes she thinks she’s thirteen. If you weren’t gallivanting around on the far side of the world, you would know that.” Danielle then told Lois of Douglas’ call from Midland.
At the mention of his name, Lois pictured him the way she had seen him the first time she had met him at her parents’ place where she had still lived at that time. Her heart had suddenly done somersaults when he had shaken her hand and had smiled at her. He had often been in her thoughts after that until Danielle’s wedding day. She had been one of Danielle’s bridesmaids, put on a happy face, smiled and called him brother and had determined to banish him from her thoughts, but it had been an almost impossible thing to do. He had remained in her thoughts since that day. Now she wondered what her reaction will be when she saw him again. She shook her head to get his image from her thoughts and said, “By the way, I also wanted to tell you the airlines made a mistake with my connecting flight. I’ll be arriving Sunday afternoon instead of Saturday night.” They exchanged information for another thirty minutes, laughed and joked, before they finally said goodbye.
Raindrops ran down the living room window. Danielle looked out into the grey sky. We picked a good day to sleep in, she thought. For her it was the first day of the summer break. Douglas had no obligations at the church for once and had decided to stay home since he could prepare at home for Sunday night’s special number in song that he would bring with Danielle accompanying him on the piano. She heard him in the kitchen mixing pancake batter and humming a hymn. He was making breakfast. Deborah was still asleep and Joshua was playing a game on the computer. The grandfather clock striking nine made her turn from the living room window. “I’ll go and see if our baby is awake,” she called softly to Douglas.
An hour later they had enjoyed the pancakes Douglas had made, and the canned peaches he had opened. Throughout breakfast the four had teased each other and laughed a good deal. They had made plans to go to the swimming pool in the afternoon, and they were in no hurry to clear the table and get at the waiting tasks of the morning. The chime of the front door bell silenced them for a moment.
“You three have more peaches, and I’ll go and see who it is, and tell them there’s nobody home,” Douglas said getting up slowly. When he opened the door a woman he had never seen stood before him. He guessed her to be in her mid thirties. Her blonde hair was tied into a ponytail. She was a pretty woman of average height and sad, blue eyes that looked nervously at him. Worry marks were etched in her face. He smiled at her. “Please come in out of the rain. Then you can tell me what I can do for you.”
She hesitated, but then slowly entered. Danielle had come from the kitchen. Her heart stopped for a moment when she saw the woman. “You’re Lynn Banbridge, Joshua’s mother, aren’t you?” she said.
Lynn nodded. “Is Josh here?”
Douglas introduced Danielle and himself. “We were just eating breakfast. There are pancakes and peaches left. Come and join us. Joshua will be thrilled to see you.”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to be a bother.” She looked from Douglas to Danielle who had recovered from the shock of realizing who the woman was.
Danielle took her by the hand and led her into the entryway. “Let me take your coat. Then we’ll go see Joshua.” Danielle suddenly felt much compassion for the woman who seemed to struggle to keep her composure.
Joshua seated next to Deborah in the kitchen nook stopped in mid sentence from teasing Deborah. He stared at his mother who was hanging on to Danielle’s hand. “Mom!” he finally called out in a tone that conveyed surprise and joy. He quickly climbed out of the nook, and in the next moment wrapped his arms around her.
His mother hugged him. “I’m sorry I’ve been so long,” she whispered. “I would have come last night, but it was late, too late to come and get you. I wanted to clean the house up too before I got you.” Tears trickled down her cheeks.
“You can’t have him!” Deborah suddenly blurted out staring at Joshua’s mother.
Danielle and Douglas chuckled. “I’m afraid our daughter’s going to need some convincing that Joshua belongs to you.” Douglas smiled.
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fighter pilot and had flown several successful missions, he hated war and felt deep grief for each enemy pilot he shot down thinking of them as someone’s son or someone’s husband. I don’t recall many of the details of the article, not even the pilots name. So let me call him David. I remember the account reported that his plane was shot down in 1941, I believe it was, and he lost his life. What I will always recall precisely are the words with which the author closed the article. He said, “While his family, friends and comrades grieved for him, the universe wept for David .” To me his words were a profound statement of the worth of each individual.
Books and banter by W.H.Manke 