Her eyes curled up with a soft smile when they reached mine. She only shrugged, scooting over on the step and warming her palms with her breath. I caught her hands in mine, breathing my own warm heat into them before I chuckled softly. “Remind me to get you gloves for your birthday.”
She cracked another smile. “You don’t even know when my birthday is.”
“You’ve got brazen fortitude coming out of your ears, so…if I had to guess…Capricorn. Were you born in January, Tressa?”
“How is it that a holy man follows astrology too?” She quirked her head to the side.
I only shrugged. “Jesuits study science and magic in all it’s forms, it’s all related.”
She narrowed her gaze, mouth popping open sweetly. “I was born the day after Christmas.”
“Ah, Christmas brings the gift of forgiveness, peace, and love—you’re all of those things sweet dove.” I swept the pad of my thumb down her temple. “It’s like I knew you before we even met.”
“I like that.”
“I was thinking about what you said the other night—about finding him.” I pressed on.
“Yeah?” She asked, eyes casting back to the snow dancing in the lone streetlight in front of the parish.
“Maybe a DNA test could help you locate your father.” My words hung heavier than the blanket of snow around us.
“I don’t think my dad would be the type to have a DNA test—but that would be perfect, wouldn’t it? Spit in a cup and six weeks later—bam—here’s your dad!” Sarcasm iced her words.
“Well, what type do you think your dad is exactly?” I asked.
“Hm, if mom’s previous boyfriends hold any sway, I would bet unemployed dirtbag with a side of asshole for good measure.” She laughed, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
And suddenly I felt every one of her two and a half decades of pain and suffering—the battles she’d waged long before she should have because she battled a force greater than her: a home starved of love.
We sat quietly, soaking up the cold night air as something slow and easy settled between us. Something I’d come to love about her affect on me, the way she eased tension out of my muscles with just a glance or an offhand remark that made me smile when I least expected it, they sustained me more than she knew.
Life is made up of little moments, and some people remind you to appreciate each of the moments you’re given a little more. I made a vow right then and there to treasure the people that filled my heart with levity and joy, allowed me to forget the pain and suffering of the world’s people if even for a breath of time.
“Thank you, Bastien—for looking out for me. Whenever I’ve thought of my father there’s always been a missing piece, but coming here, helping out at St. Mikes,” she turned and placed a hand over my own then, “being with you helps.” Her smile wavered softly. “I’m so thankful for the distraction while I get my life back together.”
“You’ve been a help far greater than you know—just organizing the attic is a project and a half. And it seems like we’ve uncovered more missing pieces than answers with every new box we’ve opened. Apparently, record keeping was not Father Martin’s strong suit, I’ve found stacks and stacks of accounting and ledgers and tax exemption forms, but no matter how I put the numbers together, nothing is adding up. I can’t figure out why his parish stipend was so high, ever other placement I’ve had was a fraction of what he was getting for the last two decades of his time here.”
“Maybe his salary was grandfathered in.” She laughed.
“The notion that you could call anything a holy man gets a salary is a novel one—but you’re right, Father Martin surely had a system well-established here—I still regret that he was transferred so quickly before he could walk me through his process.”
Tressa smiled before standing. I rose at her side and we turned to head back into the warmth of the church. “You wouldn’t have gotten much out of him—I don’t remember much from when I was kid, but he was as reserved and tight-lipped as they came—he was the epitome of the humble and obedient priest—but his eyes,” she grinned as she thought back on a lost memory, “they always danced with so much life, like you were the most special thing on earth to him in that moment. He was more special to me than he probably knew—I wish I could have told him that before he left.” She sighed deeply. “Just one more thing my mom’s illness stole from me—the only stable father figure I ever had.”
I wrapped her in my arms, no more words left to be said. I couldn’t help myself, as we walked down the wall of iron cross and back to the sacristy, I placed reverent kisses on the top of her head.
My sweet, sweet dove, I wished I could grant her the peace she so desperately craved.
FIFTEEN
Tressa
“Thanks for coming with me.” I glanced at Lucy as we settled ourselves on the city bus. “I know if I get this job across town, I’ll have to get over it. But doing anything for the first time alone gives me such a serious set of butterflies, I’d probably fumble my way into reception while dropping off these applications. Bastien was on the phone with Cruz early this morning—there’s something going on with him—or more specifically Rose. They keep planning weekends to come and then it gets cancelled—and he hates to leave her for some reason. Bastien has started talking about taking a trip into the city, but he can’t get the diocese to send anyone for a few days to fill in. I’ve never seen him so concerned before.”
Lucy’s hands subconsciously cradled the tiny swell of her stomach through the heavy puffer coat she wore. Her feet were twisted at the ankles, toes worn through on her furry winter boots. “Cruz is a good guy, but do you ever wonder if a person can be too good?”
“Uh oh, what do you know?”
“Nothing really,” she shrugged. “But he’s got a dark look in his eye, like he’s seen too much. You know some shit once you see it it can’t be unseen.”
