Bad News Arrives With Breakfast

“What would you like for breakfast Mike?” Toni asked pouring Richie a cup of coffee.

“Just cereal and fruit,” he was eyeing the basket of fruit in the middle of the table.

Richie was quietly reading the paper and when he finished he looked up at Toni, “Have you seen this?”

“What?” Toni asked

“There was a fire at the mill, Reverend Harris is in the hospital in bad shape,”

“Oh my god, Richie was he burned?”
“No toxic smoke inhalation. Reverend Harris performed our marriage Mike and he recently got married himself.”

“Poor Ahnna, she must be beside herself,” Toni said reaching for the paper and sitting down. “We have to do something Richie…maybe some sort of fund raiser. This is…it’s just too much after what they’ve been through.”

“What do you want to do?” Richie asked.

“I’m not sure yet, I’ll make some phone calls…that was such a beautiful place Richie remember when we went to talk to Alistair?”

“I do…it’s a real shame…I like him.”

“Do you go to his church?” Mike asked looking at his Dad a bit skeptically.

“No I don’t but Toni does sometimes. There’s a synagogue over in Coffs Harbor Mike and I have been there…Toni went with me. We can go if you’d like?”

Mike shrugged, “sure…I go at home…Wally’s Jewish.”

Toni glanced in Mike’s direction, “I’m not I’m an Episcopalian but I respect your father’s religion. I don’t keep a kosher kitchen Mike so if that’s a problem I can adjust for you while you’re here.”

“No…that’s cool…mom doesn’t always either. “ Mike dug into his cereal.

“I’m going into town this morning and see what kind of details I can find out about the fire,” Richie said placing his cup on the table, “anybody what to ride?”

“I do,” Toni said.

“Me too, I’d like to see your office Dad.” Mike finished off his banana.

“Would you?’ Richie asked smiling, “We can arrange that.”