152. Overseas Calling

  

The phone on the end table next to Lance's chair rang and he picked it up. It soon became obvious he was speaking with Saint Anne and Lance looked at me and raised his eyebrows. After a minute or two of trans-Atlantic conversation, he passed the phone to me.

"Jesse, Jesse, I don't know what to say," began Saint Anne. "I am so sorry the monastery burned down. And the loss of Agnes .. such a tragedy." I had nothing to say to this man.  Had I wanted to be funny, I would have asked Lance for a barf bag. Instead I remained quiet.

"I don't want you to worry over any of the particulars." he said. "You shouldn't be bothered by details now. I'll work with Lance to see what has to be done about the ... about the details and particulars."

I couldn't resist. I asked, "Where are the Brothers and I to go, my Abbot Provincial."

"Ah, well yes, Jesse. And Lance tells me he is working something up for you."

“St. Anne,” I said, “did Sparky send you the money from the sale of five acres to Lance?  You might use some of that to help us out.”

There was a silence at the end of the line before St. Anne answered me.

“Jesse, your Abbot did not send us one cent of that money.”

“Well,” I don’t know where it is either,” I said.  “Unless Agnes

took it with him somehow.”

“I don’t think so,” said St. Anne.  “Frankly, he sent a letter to me saying he was giving it to you.”

I was shocked and couldn’t speak.

Lance handed me a sheet of paper as St. Anne said to me,  “I’ve faxed over a copy of Agnes’ letter. Perhaps Lance will to show it to you.”


Please Read The Letter - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss