SUNDAY AT TALLIE'S

Humble and courageous, Tallie O'Shea helped her policeman husband, Bernie, build a legacy of compassionate justice. After Bernie's death, she continues this legacy by quietly helping others, such as Claudia, the heroine of LEGACY OF ANGELS, as shown in this excerpt:  

"I don't know how I'll ever repay your kindness." Claudia clutched her hands in her lap as Tallie pulled the minivan onto the highway. They were going to Baker City to purchase new paint for the rooms she would occupy with Todd.

With some trepidation, Claudia had left her son in the care of Rochelle, her mother, and her daughter, who were staying at Tallie's after their house was destroyed in the Halo explosions. Claudia didn't doubt their abilities to care for Todd. When she left, the three females were laughingly competing for the little boy's attention, and Todd was delighted.

The challenge was Claudia missed the little boy already. She had rarely spent a moment away from him since they had been reunited.

"Bernie showed me one of the greatest joys is what we give to others. You do that when you get up early with your son but would rather stay in bed. When you volunteered to help with the rebuilding of Halo. When you made beaded bracelets for Mother's Day without thought for what you might get in return."

Claudia let this concept soak into her mind for a few moments. "You must have loved your husband very much."

Tallie maneuvered around a slow-moving truck before she responded. "I came to love Bernie more deeply than I ever thought possible. A love built on respect and acceptance."

She glanced at Claudia before she continued. "Not many people know I endured years in an abusive marriage before I met Bernie."

Stunned surprise filled Claudia. Tallie O'Shea was one of the strongest people she had ever seen. She simply couldn't envision her as beaten and cowed.

"I finally ran, and I kept running when anything frightened me. Until I met Bernie. He said the past wasn't as important as what we intended to become. I needed to believe that. I needed to believe I could be better than the mistakes and misjudgments I'd made in the past."

Claudia wondered if she could move beyond the fear Swaggerty would someday return for her and her child. Or did she just need to stop running, as Tallie said, in spite of her fear? "That's very profound."

"It's also very difficult to live on a day-to-day basis. Just when I think I can live up to Bernie's expectations, another challenge comes along to knock me into the dirt." Tallie squeezed Claudia's hand. "Just don't give up. Know your little boy needs you to be strong. Always pick yourself one more time than you get knocked down."

"And help someone else do the same," Claudia said.

Tallie smiled as she pulled to a stop in front of the paint store. "You'll do fine, Claudia. Just fine."




Excerpt from LEGACY OF ANGELS, copyright Genene Valleau writing as Genie Gabriel.