Before All Others Page #4

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the smell of it would wake me up

and I would run down to the kitchen

and I would say mommy mommy,

I want a piece of pie and she would

say what, for breakfast?

I would say yeah, so she would cut me

a big slice of apple pie

with a glass of milk.

Now every time I eat

an apple I think of her.

It's funny, I never got the recipe.

I guess I always thought that

the pies would just be there.

But then the accident happened

and she took the recipe with her.

Your grandma probably

taught her how to make it.

You could probably ask

her for the recipe.

I never thought of that.

Okay.

Come on.

Hey!

It's gorgeous here.

You should see it on a full moon.

You can see ducks on the water

over a half mile away.

Wow, I bet it's beautiful.

Yeah it is.

You know this lake was formed by

an old quarry over a hundred years ago.

It's one of the deepest

lakes in the country.

Oh, okay, yeah, I don't swim so good.

I'll save you.

Oh.

Okay, so I take it this is

where you bring all your girlfriends.

No, I've actually only brought

one other woman here.

My wife.

She died, but we were trying

to start a life together

and build a family.

Some things just don't work

out like you planned, you know?

I've been thinking about

starting over somewhere else,

but I just can't bear to leave.

There's just something about this place.

I'm sorry.

It's okay, it's been awhile.

I shouldn't feel sorry for myself.

Can I ask you something?

Yeah, sure.

What happened to you?

Oh, it's just temporary, I...

I should be perfectly

fine in a month or so.

How long have you been

living with your grandma?

Oh gosh, just like a few days.

I just needed someplace

quiet to recover.

You know, I've been so busy

living in the city with my career,

I can't remember the last time

I just sat and looked at a lake.

It's really...

Intoxicating?

You're getting some sun,

we should probably get you in.

You know, I wanna do this again.

Me too.

Oh wait wait wait wait wait.

Well that's not a bad thing, Rose,

I mean God has a way of

getting our attention.

Oh.

Oh gosh.

Pastor Russel.

Ben.

You must be Rachel.

Your grandmother speaks

very highly of you.

Nice to meet you.

I think I'm gonna get going.

I was just leaving myself,

I'll join you.

Rachel, you oughta think about

coming to services on Sunday,

we'd love to have you.

I'm sure Ben would be more than

happy to bring you, right Ben?

Yeah, sure.

Good.

Rose, always a pleasure.

Rachel, nice to have met you.

Ben, after you.

Grandma?

Grandma!

I can't move.

What do you mean, honey?

I can't move!

Let me call 911.

No, it'll pass.

What can I do?

I'll call Ben.

No!

Just help me up.

I'll be right back.

No, don't go.

I'm scared.

I'm going to go get some help.

Charles!

Charles?

Charles!

I can't find the key!

What was that yelling?

I can't find the key to the shed.

What?

What happened to the key?

I don't know, maybe Ben has it, why?

I need to talk to Charles.

Please, just help me up.

Grandma, are you okay?

It's my back, I can't get up!

Grandma?

I'm here, sweetie.

I'm sorry I'm such a burden.

You could never be a burden to me.

I love you, grandma.

I love you too.

Why were you calling grandpa's name?

I talk to him.

You talk to grandpa?

Yes.

In the shed.

You talk to grandpa in the shed?

He's as handsome as he ever was.

He's come to take me to Heaven,

but I'm not ready to go.

Help!

We're back here!

Oh my gosh, what happened?

Where's the key?

Ben, I need the key to the shed.

It's right here.

Can you please help me up?

Yes.

Okay, okay, thanks.

Rachel, what happened?

Talk to me.

Go away, I don't want

you to see me like this.

I'm not going anywhere, okay,

so just tell me what happened.

I lied to you, that's what happened.

I'm not going to get better,

I'm going to get worse.

We'll get through it.

We?

There is no we.

We went to the lake,

we had fun, but it's over.

You don't really mean this.

Just...

Go away!

Rachel!

I don't wanna see you again!

Is this what you really want?

Yes.

Please go.

But you don't understand,

there is no more time!

Don't you see?

The shortness of breath,

the chest pains?

I don't care about any of that!

I am not leaving those kids like this!

You don't have a say in it, Rose!

Oh yes I do!

I am not going to leave them,

I have to help them!

You can't help them!

In fact, it's just gonna get worse!

Don't you see it?

They haven't accepted

God into their lives.

That's it!

That's what they need.

It's too late!

If you don't come now...

Rachel, I don't have much time left.

What do you mean?

Just listen to me.

I need you to do something that

your mother could never do.

I watched her suffer her whole life

and I don't want to see

you go through that.

What?

You must give yourself to the Lord.

I need you to promise me that you will.

Okay.

No.

I need you to promise me.

I promise.

I did what you said.

I opened up my heart.

Even when I knew better,

and I let somebody else in.

I allowed myself to fall in love.

Then your God takes it away

from me once again.

So you're putting your faith

in this bottle now, is that about right?

Look what you've become.

Aren't you tired of living like this?

A shell of a man?

A life empty?

What am I supposed to do,

just start going to church and then

everything's just gonna be okay?

It's not just about going to church.

It's about a life change.

Jesus said I come that you might

have life and have it more abundantly,

do you know what that means, Ben?

It means Jesus is the answer

to all your problems,

all you have to do is take His hand.

Can you?

Will you take His hand?

They bloomed.

Yes, they have.

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