“No, not the priest. The guy we are hiding from.”
His pupils dilated, and the fear Adria felt flickered into something else.
Licking his lips, he said, “He’s one of my father’s men. Close to him. There is only one reason I can think of for him to be down here.”
“You?” Adria said, still holding his chin.
He nodded.
Fuck.
That was not good. They needed to get to X’s house, and soon.
They were not going to be able to wait for the cover of nightfall.
“Mesmo os perdidos sabem o caminho de volta quando Deus deixa a porta aberta,” the priest said, speaking in Portuguese.Even the lost know the way back when God leaves the door open.Adria watched him address the small gathering.
She wondered if it felt worth it. Standing up there talking to two or three people. He made eye contact with everyone in the church before turning his gaze on the four of them.
Adria winced, waiting for him to point them to the door. But instead, he gave her a warm smile that loosened something inside of her.
Continuing in Portuguese, Adria listened. “People remember what it feels like to be welcomed. There is something in us, something older than pain, older than pride, that still aches for belonging. For the place where we were first known, or maybe only imagined.
“And no matter how far we run, no matter how long we hide…
“that ache pulls us toward light.
“That door? It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. Sometimes it’s a silence that isn’t punished. A presence that doesn’t demand. A seat left empty, just in case.
“That’s what grace looks like. Not forcing someone, but refusing to lock them out forever.”
The priest’s eyes found her again. “If you carry shame that isn’t yours, leave it here.
“If you carry silence where there should have been protection—leave that here too. God does not ask you to be perfect, only present. And sometimes, presence means standing with those who refused to abandon you.”
Adria felt held in her seat. Bryson on her left, Kaydon and Seth to her right.
Her phone vibrated, and she jumped. When she looked up again, the priest’s gaze was gone.
Eric: He left, I’ll be out front in 3.
“Eric’s on his way,” she said under her breath.
The four of them silently headed towards the exit. Kaydon held the door open for them, and Bryson left first, followed by Seth.
Adria held back for a second, bringing her gaze to the front of the church. The priest didn’t seem to notice or acknowledge their departure. But Adria felt a pull to talk to him. To stay.
Instead, she stepped out, Kaydon on her heels, and listened to the green door swing shut behind them.
Eric pulled up in the truck and Adria noticed another man with him.
The three boys filed into the back seat, and Adria found herself sitting next to the newfound stranger.
“Adria, this is Sage, Sage meet Adria,” Eric said, throwing the car in reverse.
“Pleasure,” Adria said.
Kaydon’s hand came across her shoulder from the back seat. “I’m Kaydon, and this is Bryson and Seth.”
