Shirley, Goodness and Mercy (Angels Everywhere #4)(14)

The grief Greg had shown was as phoney as a three-dollar bill. If he’d cared even a little about their mother, he would have come to the hospital when she asked for him. They’d known her illness was terminal! Nothing could have been more important; nothing should have kept him away. When Phil found out that Greg had chosen to attend the settlement hearing on his divorce case instead, he’d completely lost his temper.

The two brothers had nearly come to blows at the wake. What irked Phil the most was the grieving-son act Greg had put on for family and friends.

Grieving? Yeah, right.

Phil had been appalled by the number of people who seemed to fall for Greg’s act. Phil had been hurting, too, but he’d disciplined himself not to show his emotions. Grief was private, after all. He’d also grown accustomed to the reality of her death, because he’d been there. His mother’s illness had lasted several months, and Phil had been the one to sit at her bedside, to read to her and comfort her.

Sure, his brother had come to visit on occasion, but he always had a convenient excuse for not staying long. In the beginning it was because he was harvesting the grapes. That was followed by the wine-production period, which he said demanded constant supervision. During the last months of their mother’s life, Greg had been involved in his divorce, too. His second divorce.

As far as Phil was concerned, his brother’s marital problems were exactly what he deserved. The first wife, who’d lasted ten years, was bad enough. The second one, who looked shockingly like the first, had stayed around three years, possibly four, he couldn’t remember. Phil had heard that there was a third Mrs. Greg Bennett, and he couldn’t help wondering if she’d go the way of her predecessors.

“Phil, hurry, or we’re going to be late,” Sandy called from the kitchen.

They’d finished dinner and washed their few dishes, and while Sandy was collecting the sheet music, Phil watched the last of the national news.

“I’m ready,” he called back, turning off the TV. Preoccupied with thoughts of his brother, Phil hadn’t heard a word of the newscast.

The church parking lot was only partially filled when they arrived. The choir director smiled in greeting, but didn’t allow anyone to waste time. The Christmas cantata was only two weeks away, and there remained plenty of room for improvement.

The choir members gathered on the bleachers; as a tenor, Phil stood in the back row behind the women singing first soprano. It wasn’t until they started the first song that he noticed the blonde standing directly in front of him. He’d never heard anyone with a more spectacular voice. It was hard to remember his own part. The woman’s clear strong voice was so stunning he was completely distracted.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” he said during the break.

She turned around and smiled. “We haven’t.”

“Phil Bennett,” he said.

“I know.”

“You do?”

“Oh, yes. I know quite a bit about you, Mr. Bennett.”

This was something. Phil squared his shoulders a bit, feeling downright flattered by this lovely woman’s interest.

The director was pleased with their performance and after an hour and a half, dismissed them for the night.

“We sounded quite good, didn’t we?” Sandy said on the drive home.

“I thought so, too. By the way, who was the woman standing in front of me?”

“Mrs. Hansen?”

“No, the blonde.”

His wife cast him a curious look. “There wasn’t any blonde standing in front of you.”

“Yes, there was. We spoke. You couldn’t have missed her, Sandy. She had the most angelic voice. Really gifted.”

Sandy laughed softly. “And what was her name?”

Phil hesitated, trying to remember. “I don’t believe she gave it to me.”

“I see.” Although Sandy wasn’t actually smiling, he heard the amusement in her voice.

“I’m telling you there was a blond woman standing in front of me, and she sang like no one I’ve ever heard.”

“If you say so, darling.”

Women! If Sandy hadn’t seen the blonde for herself, Phil couldn’t make her believe she’d been there. Next practice, he’d be sure to introduce the woman to his wife. Then he’d see what Sandy had to say.

Six

“Goodness!” Shirley waited until the church had emptied before chastising her fellow angel. She just didn’t know how to handle Goodness and Mercy. Their antics were going to get them permanently expelled from earth. “You had to do it, didn’t you?”

At least Goodness had the decency to look properly repentant. “You’re right, I know you’re right, but I couldn’t stand the smug way Phil Bennett was acting. From the moment he heard about his brother’s problems, he was beside himself with pleasure. All his talk about being a good Christian, too!”

“We aren’t here to deal with Phil Bennett.”

“But he’s part and parcel of what’s happening to Greg.”

“Well, yes, and no…”

“I don’t think we need to worry,” Mercy told her. “If Gabriel’s going to be upset with us, it’ll be because of what happened with the hot-air balloon. Goodness singing in a church choir is minor compared to that.”