Bones

Page 9

Let me look at you, boy. You don't remember me at all, do you? The bishop shook his grandfather's hand, searching his memory. I guess I was just too young, he said. I don't guess I do. I'll show you your grandmother in a minute, the old man said. Soon as I can pry her loose from all the aunts and cousins. He pointed to a crowd of people, mostly women, talking by a sunlit window. Your grandpa knew Brigham Young, the bishop's father told him, and Lorin's heart began to pound with excitement. I did know that, that's right, the bishop said. Lorin followed his parents out to the parking lot, bumping into a trash can beside the box elder tree, and climbed into the back seat of the car with his brother. Stephen wanted to sit up front on his mother's lap but she said he would hurt the baby. His father started the engine and waited for the hearse to pull away from the chapel and inch into the street, then he turned on his headlights. Lorin's mother had put her handkerchief back in her purse. Lorin asked her if the bishop's grandfather had known Brigham Young, and she said she didn't know. He sank back in the corner of the seat and stared at the back of her head, slowly squinting until her hair dissolved into smoke. A very old man came hurrying across the lobby from a side door. The bishop's grandfather waved him over. Late as usual, Jesse, he said. Come on over and meet Vern. You never saw your great-grandfather, he said to the bishop, as they were shaking hands. Jesse here wasn't a member, and he pretty near killed me when I joined back east, but the old sinner wasn't in his grave six months before we had the work done on him in the temple. He patted the old sinner's shoulder fondly. I hear tell it took some doing on this end too, but they finally got him to admit he believed the church and he'd accept the damn baptism if they'd leave hin alone, so I didn't have to get wet for nothing. Lorin asked his mother where the bishop's progenitors had come from.