Romance for Matthew Read Free Page A

blind. And a small part of her was thankful that everyone in her family could see and hear properly. But she said no prayer. She never said prayers anymore. Although, after meeting Matthew she wondered if he ever said prayers. What did a blind man pray for? Wasn't it, then, too late for prayers?
    Suddenly her cell phone rang in her purse. "Mother, can you get my cell for me please?" she called out.
    Her mother answered and handed her the phone. Bethany continued patting Jacob's back. "Yes?"
    "Bethany," Matthew said, "I'm sorry to disturb you at home. I was thinking about what you said about the backup documents."
    Unfortunately, Jacob picked that particular moment to burp loudly right into the phone receiver.
    Trying to salvage the moment, Bethany murmured, "Sorry. You were saying?" He probably thought she did it. She tried to think of something more embarrassing that had ever happened to her, but she came up with nothing.
    She could tell he was smiling as he said, "I was just wondering if you would pick up the backup items at the accountant's office tomorrow before you come out here. Again, I would pay for your gasoline."
    He gave her the address, which she quickly scribbled down as she shifted Jacob to her other shoulder. "Of course. No problem. Catch you tomorrow then."
    "Right. Tomorrow."
    After she'd rung off, she balanced Jacob on her knees and said seriously, "Little man, you'll have to stop burping into the phone."
    But not wanting her seriousness, he just giggled, burped again and sucked on his fist noisily.
     
     
    Matthew sat at his desk after talking to Bethany. It was so frustrating, he thought, not being able to get a picture of her in his mind.
    He heard Sarah come in the room with her duster, as she always did on Monday, humming slightly.
    "Sarah," he said, "what does pink look like?"
    "Well," she paused for a minute, "what do you mean pink? I mean where did you hear it?"
    "Nat told me. He said she has pink cheeks and brown hair. I'm having trouble with colors. That would be Bethany, I mean."
    "Pink cheeks are warm, but not hot like red. And brown is warm, but darker, like a shadow. Green, like her eyes, can be cold. Her eyes are warm after all, though, because there is a bit of brown in them, you know, mixed in with the green."
    "And blue is cold?"
    "Yes, Matthew. She was wearing a blue outfit, cold, but I had the definite impression she was very warm as a person."
    "Thank you, Sarah. I appreciate it."
    "Anytime, Matthew."
    And, after that, he just sat, wondering, what was the color of love?
     
     
    The next day as she stood in her kitchen, Bethany said irritably, "Mother, I just don't have time for prayers anymore in the morning, so stop bothering me about it. It's one thing if a woman is a stay at home mother, but I'm too busy now." She grabbed the directions she'd printed out for the accountant's offices.
    Sighing, he mother replied, "How can you be too busy for God? He always has time for you."
    "And what has He done for me lately?" Bethany asked her, as she slung her purse on her shoulder. She gave Jacob kisses on his cheeks as he sat in his baby seat. "See you later sweetie." She left quickly before her mother could offer more words of advice.
    But, after she left, her mother watched her pull out of the driveway. "Bethany, He gave you Jacob," she whispered.
     
    Taking a deep breath, Bethany pulled up in front of Matthew's house. She was the same basket-case as the day before, with double padding on her breasts, and missing Jacob something fierce, while she gathered up the accounting materials.
    Sarah showed her into the den, where he sat at the computer. "Hi, Bethany," he said absently. "Go ahead and get settled. I hope you can help me with this. It doesn't make sense and I think the computer voice is messing up but I'm not certain about that."
    "Sure," she replied quickly, dropping her things on a chair and walking behind him to take a look. "Well the financials are out of balance. I can see that