Chapter 16
About a week later, Kelsey came home to pick up a file she had left in the office. She decided to poke her head in and check on her mother. Walking down the hall, she heard a familiar voice
coming from mom’s room. Kelsey peeked into the bedroom and was surprised to see Toby sitting at Anne’s bedside.
Her eyes were closed listening as Toby read from the book on his lap. Kelsey stood in the hall, entranced by Toby’s voice.
“I lived with visions for my company, instead of men and women, years ago,
And found them gentle mates, nor thoughts to know
A sweeter music than they played for me.
But soon their trailing purple was not free of this world’s dust,
Their lutes did silent grow, and
I myself grew faint and blind below their vanishing eyes.
Then Thou didst come…to be, beloved, what they seemed.
Their shining fronts, their songs, their splendours met in thee,
And from out thee overcame my soul with satisfaction of all wants –
Because God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame.”
Kelsey wiped away the tears that were beginning to fall down her cheeks. Quietly, she turned around and headed out the door. On her way out, she ran into her mother’s nurse walking towards
the house.
“Kelsey, I didn’t expect you home this early.”
“Actually, Carrie, I just came home to pick up a file. How long has Mr. Ziegler been here?”
“Almost an hour. He comes everyday around lunch to see Anne,” replied Carrie.
“Really?! I had no idea. Please don’t mention I was here to either of them.”
“Okay.”
She headed back to the White House and thought about what she could do to thank Toby, without him knowing she had been there.