Montana Saga Chapter 23

Back at the hospital conference room Dr. Matthew asked, "Are their

any questions so far?"

Catherine between sobs and says to Dr. Matthew, " You mean our granddaughter

Rya can never have children?"

"No Mrs. Steahl she won't be able to. I know it's hard to hear, but we had no other

choice. She was bleeding too heavily and we had seconds to decide the best way

to save her life. Joseph Steahl sat silent, as did Rya's uncles Dale and Brad taking

everything in they were being told. Zach was too stunned to say anything, Sara and Kira Lane were sobbing at the news and horror of what was done to Rya. Henry Conrad sat silently as well. It was the kind of silence that dropped the room to a frigid temperature.

Henry couldn't bear to hear anymore without wanting to rip the entire conference room

apart, so he quietly got up from his seat and stepped out into the hallway. Joseph Steahl

followed behind him.

An orderly was passing the two men when Henry stopped him. "Could you point us in the

direction of the chapel."

"Sure, it's straight down that way(pointing to the left) and just keep going and you'll

see it." he smiled and left in the opposite direction.

Joseph Steahl and Henry Conrad walked in silence toward the chapel. Henry's blood boiled

the closer the two of them came to the chapel remembering how as a boy, when his parents were kept from seeing him by hospital advocates to protect him. He made the hospital advocates take him to the chapel so he could pray for God to help him. Now he's going there as a man to let God know where his faith stands with him now.

Joseph Steahl sits in a pew next to Henry Conrad less than a foot apart. Joseph breaks the silence with a little humor. "You can tell me it's none of my business Mr. Conrad, but in my

granddaughter's words, "you lost the stuffing out of your comforter when you punched the wall back there earlier, talking about it might be a good idea." Joseph Steahl suggested

gently.

Henry Conrad inhaled deeply letting out his breath like he was carrying a sack of hammers

on his back. "Joseph, I've been in this church four times. Once when my father and mother

broke my left wrist and my right leg at the age of twelve, I was the sane age the second time when my mother whipped me with a belt so hard it cut me through the blue jeans I was wearing, at the age of thirteen my mother whipped me across the face with a belt.

my beard covers the scar from it. The rest of the time my parents and brothers beat and

starved me hoping that would bring me into the fold. It didn't. My brothers followed my parent's footsteps, I went onto become a rancher, or in my parent's words, a "glorified servant" because farmers and ranchers put food on people's tables," Henry continues

speaking, "it was in junior high, I met Sela, She gave me love and stability. She reminded me what a man was supposed to be. Her father was her example."

"People come into our lives at just the right time when we need them." Joseph told hm placing a supportive hand on Henry's shoulder.

"Until your God takes them away from those who love them."

Joseph is finally putting the pieces together during their conversation in the church,

then asks Henry,

"How did she die?"

"Sela died giving birth to our son Roman," Henry answered. His voice heavy with a

feeling of loss," Henry stood up in defiance facing the altar and screamed in anger,

YOU HAVE SELA, YOU CAN AND WILL NOT TAKE MY PHOENIX FROM

ME!" Henry's anger reverberated through the chapel.

Five doors away from the conference room where the Lanes, Steahl family and Zach

Grant are listening to Dr. Thomas Harman, the hand surgeon, briefing Rya's friends

and family. Harrison Grant and Roman Conrad arrive with the Eliite Security and Extractiomeam with Diane Harrington and her father-in-law after being examined in

the emergency rooom. They quetly enter the conference room in time to hear about

Rya's hand surgeries.