“Yes.”
Mike burst into the room. Peg was sitting on a small love seat with her shoes off and her legs tucked beneath her. Muriel Miller sat beside her.
“Honey, I think you know Mrs. Miller. She was waiting to see you when I stopped by. Do you remember the painting I did of the woman at the pond?”
“Uh, yes.”
“Based on the person you saw in your dream, doesn’t Muriel look just like her? When I saw her, it made me wish I’d brought my pencils so I could do a quick sketch.”
“Maybe,” Mike grunted. “I thought you were going to the doctor.”
“I did. Everything is fine. I’m in great shape for a thirty-nine-year-old woman about to have her first baby.”
Mike frowned. “We weren’t going to say anything to anyone.”
“Muriel already knew about it. Her husband had a dream about the baby. It’s the most amazing thing—”
“I know all about the dream,” Mike interrupted. “I’ve been to the jail and heard the whole story.”
“How is Sam?” Muriel asked anxiously. “His heart isn’t in the best shape.”
“He’s okay under the circumstances. He didn’t mention any physical problems.”
“I hope he’s taking his blood pressure medicine.”
Mike turned one of the chairs in front of his desk so that it faced the love seat. He sat down and leaned forward.
“Mrs. Miller, I can’t get your husband to listen to reason. I keep telling him that I’m a minister, not a lawyer, but he changes the subject. He insists that I’m going to represent him. I know you want him out of jail, and he should have had a bond reduction hearing a couple of months ago, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Muriel reached for her purse and pulled out a tissue. “I’m worried something bad is going to happen to him.”
“My sympathies are with you,” Mike said. “But talking to me about it is a waste of time for both of you.”
Muriel blew her nose. When she began to speak, the words tumbled out. “Sam can be hard to understand when you first meet him, especially when he’s talking about the things the Lord shows him. Over the years, we’ve been asked to leave more than one church, but he has a heart of gold and wouldn’t hurt anyone or take anything that didn’t belong to him. I know he’s not guilty of any crime. After he got over the shock of the arrest, he started looking for what the Lord wanted to do in the situation. He’s been witnessing to the men in the jail, but he’s convinced one reason this has happened is so he can meet you.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Mike saw Peg bite her lower lip.
“I don’t have to be his lawyer to talk to him,” Mike said.
“That’s not the way he sees it.”
“But I’ve turned him down.”
“I know, and I’m not trying to make you feel bad for not helping us or talk you into doing something you don’t want to do.”
“Then why did you come?”
Muriel put her hand on Peg’s shoulder.
“For her. Sam says you’re going to become more like him, and I wanted to help your wife get ready for it. There wasn’t anyone to guide me, and I had it rough, especially in the early years.”
Mike could imagine that forty years of marriage to someone like Sam Miller could be stressful. He spoke gently but firmly.
“That’s kind of you, Mrs. Miller, but Sam doesn’t have the right to decide the path God has for me.”
“I know how it sounds to you. Believe me, I do. The revelation about the baby was to help you accept him, but if that doesn’t work, I guess I’ll have to wait and see where my help comes from.”
“Your help comes from the Lord,” Mike said.
Muriel managed a slight smile. “Yes, that’s always true.”
Mike stood to signal the end of the conversation. Muriel rose to her feet, and Mike escorted her to the door.
“Good-bye,” she said to both Mike and Peg.
“Bye,” Peg responded.
Mike shut the door and leaned against it.
“I’m glad that’s over,” he said. “Sorry you were dragged into it.”
“Sorry?” Peg responded, her voice rising. “You’re right about that!”
“What do you mean?”
“I wish I’d had a tape recorder running. Is that the way you used to talk down to your clients?”
“When did you start taking up for uneducated mountain women and their husbands?” Mike shot back.
“Didn’t you hear her? She wants to help us. To help me. How often does that happen around this church?”
“That’s an exaggeration.”