Trip to Washington (from novel)

Original passage from the book:

(Blatty tells us where they've been and I want to show it with dialogues and narrative).

They drove around to points of interest in Chris's Jaguar XKE. The Lincoln Memorial. The Capitol. The cherry blossom lagoon. A bite to eat. (I don't want to change anything after that) Then across the river to Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Regan turned solemn, and later, at the grave of John F. Kennedy, seemed to grow distand a little sad. She stared at the 'eternal flame' for a time; then mutely reached for Chris's hand. "Mommy, why do people have to die?"

The question pierced her mother's soul. Oh Rags, you too? You too? Oh, no! And what could she tell her? Lies? She couldn't. She looked at her daughter's upturned face, eyes misting with tears. Had she sensed her own thoughts? She had done it so often ... so often before. "Honey, people get tired," she answered Regan tenderly.

"Why does God let them?"

For a moment, Chris stared. She was puzzled. Disturbed. An atheist, she had never taught Regan religion. She thought it dishonest. "Who's been telling you about God?" she asked.

"Sharon."

"Oh." She would have to speak to her.

"Mom, why does God let us get tired?"

Looking down at those sensitive eyes and that pain, Chris surrendered; couldn't tell her what she believed. "Well, after a while God gets lonesome for us, Rags. He wants us back...