energy, feeding off the general bedlam of the house. Drew said he was
impressed with the business, and Dad seemed to grow six inches.
“We’ve been blessed for doing the Lord’s work,” he said.
The phone rang again. There were at least three employees tasked
with answering it, but Dad leapt for the receiver as if he’d been waiting
for an important call. I’d never seen him so full of life.
“The power of God on earth,” he shouted into the mouthpiece.
“That’s what these oils are: God’s pharmacy!”
The noise in the house was disorienting, so I took Drew up the
mountain. We strolled through fields of wild wheat and from there into
the skirt of pines at the mountain base. The fall colors were soothing
and we stayed for hours, gazing down at the quiet valley. It was late
afternoon when we finally made our way back to the house and Drew
left for Salt Lake City.
I entered the Chapel through the French doors and was surprised by
the silence. The house was empty, every phone disconnected, every
workstation abandoned. Mother sat alone in the center of the room.
“The hospital called,” she said. “Grandma’s gone.”—MY FATHER LOST HIS appetite for the business. He started getting out of
bed later and later, and when he did, it seemed it was only to insult or
accuse. He shouted at Shawn about the junkyard and lectured Mother
about her management of the employees. He snapped at Audrey when
she tried to make him lunch, and barked at me for typing too loudly. It
was as if he wanted to fight, to punish himself for the old woman’s
death. Or perhaps the punishment was for her life, for the conflict that
had been between them, which had only ended now she was dead.
The house slowly filled again. The phones were reconnected, and
women materialized to answer them. Dad’s desk remained empty. He
spent his days in bed, gazing up at the stucco ceiling. I brought him
supper, as I had as a child, and wondered now, as I’d wondered then,
whether he knew I was there.
Mother moved about the house with the vitality of ten people,
mixing tinctures and essential oils, directing her employees between
making funeral arrangements and cooking for every cousin and aunt
who dropped in unannounced to reminisce about Grandma. As often