“Yeah,” Lucas said.“She’s lucky.”He didn’tsay it, but he knew the priest could tell what he was thinking.Theraccoon wasn’t the only one who’d been lucky.
ChapterTwenty-Eight
“So you’ve been keeping out of trouble?”Terry made a face.“Silly expression, sorry.I meant, what have youbeen doing with your time?”
It had been over a week since Mark had beenput on leave, and there had been no word about how or if thingswere progressing at the diocese.So mostly he’d been spending histime trying not to go crazy, but he was pretty sure that wasn’twhat Terry wanted to hear.“Reading.Praying.Visiting my father,helping my mother.Meditating.Exercising.I was planning on givingthe apartment a good cleaning, but I honestly haven’t had thetime.”
That was all true, but Mark left out the partwhere he’d been going out to Elise’s farm every day, spendingseveral hours helping with the animals.The place was called asanctuary for good reason, but Terry might not understand why Markwas voluntarily spending that much time with Lucas Cain.Markwasn’t sure he understood it himself.But what he hid from Terryhe’d had to admit to himself: the trip to the farm had become thehighlight of his day.Neither the animals nor Lucas Cain had anyexpectations of Mark.They accepted what he had to give withoutconditions, and from Cain, at least, Mark could always expect asmile and quiet thanks.The animals tended to be a little lesspolite, but no less sincere.
“So, yes, keeping out of trouble.Have youheard from the diocese?”He tried to sound casual as he asked thequestion.
Terry seemed to need to think about how toanswer it.“Not really,” he finally said.“A few phone calls askingfor clarification, but that’s all.”
“I’ll just continue with my paid vacation,then.”
Terry ignored the bitterness in his tone.“Ithink so, yes.It sounds like you’re using the time well.”Heleaned forward a little.They were sitting in his office and therewas no one in the outer foyer to hear, but he lowered his voiceanyway.“Mr.Wilson is continuing to agitate.He’s bypassed me nowand is dealing with the diocese directly.I understand the bishophas met with him, and I think the bishop is speaking to…well,certainly to the metropolitan, and possibly to the primate.”
The primate was the national leader of thechurch.This silly issue, this paranoid nonsense from a homophobicfather…this was going to the national level?Mark sank back in hisseat.He tried to find his center, that calm and peaceful place hecould reach after prayer or meditation, but he couldn’t do it.“It’s just so ridiculous,” he muttered.
“It’s a small part of the whole,” Terrycorrected.“It’s difficult for you, I know, but this is part of alarger struggle the church is going through.”
“Well, I wish they could do it withoutme!”
“I’m sure you do.”Terry’s smile was wry.“Ihave a meeting in ten minutes.Apparently the choir needs new robesagain.But do you have time to pray with me?”
It was a simple request, one Terry had mademany times and Mark had never refused.But this time, he stood.“No.I’m sorry.I don’t…I’m not in the right state of mind.”
“I find that I need prayer most when I’mupset,” Terry said quietly.It was a line Mark had used himselfwith parishioners, and it was almost always effective.
But not this time.“I’ll pray,” he said.“AsI have been doing.And, Terry, I’ll always be honored to pray withyou.But in this building, right now?This should be a holy place.It’s always been that for me.But right now?No.I’m sorry, but Iwon’t pray with you right now.Not here.”
Terry looked at him for a moment beforenodding sadly.“I can see how you could feel that way.I hope…Mark,I hope we can find a way to mend this.It would be a great loss ifwe couldn’t.”
“Well, there’s no point in trying to sew itup now, not while the diocese is still ripping.”
“I don’t think it’s personal, Mark.”
“It is to me.”But Terry wasn’t the oneputting Mark through it all.So he reached out a hand for Terry toshake and managed a smile as he headed for the door.“Let me knowif anything comes up, okay?”
He was trotting down the steps outside thechurch when he saw the Pattersons approaching from the sidewalk.They were an elderly couple, members of the church since beforeMark’s parents were born, and they made several visits a week.Markhad grown up as a member of the congregation, and been a priestthere for years, but they’d never said more to him than wasabsolutely required.It was one of those things that he’d alwaystried to not be bothered by.Maybe they were homophobes, maybe theywere just grumpy.Maybe they disliked him for some reason entirelyunrelated to his sexuality.It was his job to act professionally,to ensure that he was welcoming and ready to help without makingthem uncomfortable by his presence.
But as the diocese had made crystal clear—hewasn’t allowed to be doing his job, not right then.“Mrs.Patterson!That’s a lovely dress!”He scooted sideways across thebroad stone stairs until he was standing in their path.“It reallybrings out your eyes.And Mr.Patterson, is that a new tie?Verydapper.”
They stopped in their tracks.Mrs.Pattersonlooked nervously at her husband, who stared at Mark as if he weresomething growing in the bottom of the compost bucket.
“And such a lovely day for a walk!Not toohot yet, but I bet it’ll be a scorcher by this afternoon.”Markbeamed at them.“Do you have plans for the rest of the day?Anything interesting on the horizon?”
Mark couldn’t explain the strange excitementhe felt when he thought they were going to snub him entirely.Itwas as if their silence was feeding a tiny flame inside of him, afire he hadn’t known existed.It flickered but didn’t die when Mr.Patterson growled, “What’s gotten into you, boy?”
Mark laughed.“I don’t usually talk thismuch, do I?I guess it just seemed silly all of a sudden, thinkingabout how long we’ve known each other, and how little we eversay.”
“Silly?”Mr.Patterson looked at his wife.“It’s not silly.”
Mark knew he should walk away.Instead, hecocked an eyebrow.“Three mature adults, living in the same town,worshipping the same god at the same church, and we can’t chat alittle?It seems silly to me.”
Mrs.Patterson’s eyebrow raise made Mark’slook like a mere twitch.“I beg your pardon, young man!As if…” Nowher brows dropped from their mighty height into the trough of afierce scowl.“As if we don’t have good reason.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs.Patterson, but I think Ineed you to explain a little more.Could you tell me what thatreason is?”Mark kept his voice level and smooth.
