“But Father, where’s the fun in that?”
Cantrell bit his tongue before the sin that danced on his tongue could escape. “Is that all for your confession, my child?”
“Not unless you want more details.”
“That won’t be necessary.” He burned with the desire to hear more, but he had no right to make such a request. “Join me in an Act of Contrition as penance for your transgressions.”
Together they prayed. They were allowed to share words at the very least. Cantrell relished in their voices overlapping. Memorized the sound of Illias’ voice reciting the prayer for reasons less than righteous. “In his name, my God, havemercy.”
Chapter Four
Illias
“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
- Proverbs 17:77 KJV
Illias forgot how well-off his mom and Henry were until they invited him to some high-end restaurant on the outskirts of the city. He tugged at the tie he recently purchased, feeling incredibly out of place standing in front of the Opal Marée. His mom and Henry were supposed to meet him there, but as the minutes ticked by, the more anxious he grew.Did something happen?
“Hey, you.”
His head whipped to the right to see Charity Monroe; ex-childhood best friend and his first (and subsequently last) girlfriend.Oh fuck.Leave it to his mom and Henry to come up with one of their little schemes to set Illias up. The last time theydid this was the whole reason he and Charity stopped talking even though they had been friends since preschool.
He bottled up the scream he held in his lungs and blew it out his nose. There was no sense in riling himself up when he didn’t even know if this was one of their little ploys.No matter what’s going on, he forced himself to smile,I will play the good son.
“Oh good, you both made it!”
He looked towards the parking lot to see his mom and Henry walking up to them. Illias gave his mom a hug then greeted Henry with a stiff nod. Henry barely acknowledged the gesture before heading inside the restaurant. Charity followed behind Henry, leaving Illias and his mom by themselves.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I had Henry reserve a separate table for you and Charity.” She took his arm, pulling him inside. “I thought it would be nice for the two of you to catch up.”
“Does she know?” He avoided looking at Charity, afraid she would feel his eyes on her and get the wrong idea.
“No, but it will be fine. Just like old times,” his mom insisted.
Illias’ stomach knotted and he pressed his lips together. He thought about what he would say to Charity once they were seated at their table. If there was anything to say. The more he thought, the tighter the knot grew. His mom patted him on the arm then released it to sit with Henry. The hostess directed Illias to his table where Charity was. He pulled out the seat across from her and sat.
They looked at anything but each other, silence thick between them. There was nothing to say, yet so much. He forced himself to look at Charity. Someone he used to call his closest friend. Knew like the back of his hand. Things were different now though. Years of separation had changed both of them. The Charity sitting across from him wasn’t the same scrawny, insecure little girl he grew up with. She didn’t wear pigtail braids anymore. Her black hair was cut into a short pixie, revealing amultitude of piercings. Confidence radiated off her like rays of sunlight.
“You look…different.” He paled when her eyebrow rose. “In a good way.”
“I can say the same thing about you. When did you get the nose ring?” she asked as if they were casual friends. Friends that hadn’t spent eight years not talking.
“A few years ago. A friend did it for me, actually.”
“I’m surprised your mom doesn’t make you take it out.”
He shrugged, looking down at his hands and twisted his ring. “I guess she thought it wasn’t worth the argument.”
“What’re you messing with?”
He paused, realizing the ring he was twisting was the mood ring that Charity bought during their field trip to the aquarium in middle school. It was the only thing she could afford two of.To always remember our first aquarium trip, she said while handing him a ring. Back then, the band was silver. Over the years, it had tarnished, making it a dull brown, but he could never make himself toss it. He held up his left hand.
Her lips curled into a small smile. “I can’t believe you still wear that.”
“I had it resized a few times.”
“You’re ridiculous, you know that right?”
