My eyes sting again, but it’s not out of sadness or fear, it’s this overwhelming peace. He leans against the back of the chair.
“And you’re more than welcome to come to church on Sunday with me and my family.”
I look down at my belly. “Won’t that look bad?”
“Doesn’t matter how it looks.” He shrugs.
“It’s been a long time. I don’t really feel like I belong there.”
His eyes soften, and he smirks. “Jesus didn’t spend time with the people who had it all together,” he says, “He sat with the ones who didn’t think they belonged. That’s kind of the whole point.”
He gives me a gentle nudge with his elbow, and I can’t help but smirk back.
“Okay,” I say quietly. “Yeah…I’ll come.”
“Good.” He stands and walks over to the counter.
“Now”—he lifts the lid off the casserole dish—“what did my mom bring us?”
* * *
What are the odds that the first time I step back into a church in years…they’re doing communion.
I saw the tables as soon as I followed Cody through the sanctuary doors—two on each side, white tablecloths draped neatly over them, silver trays on top holding little cups of grape juice and tiny squares of bread.
I’m smack in the middle of the pew, pressed between Cody and Addison. Good thing I’m not having twins—we’d have to split into two pews just to fit.
They sing a few songs, then the pastor steps up to speak. His voice is calm, steady, the kind that draws you in without trying too hard.
He asks everyone to turn to…Corinthians or Chronicles, I don’t remember.
What I do notice is how the entire Jennings family moves in perfect sync, like they’ve done this a hundred times.
Addison pulls a floral-covered Bible from her bag. Wesley’s is already resting on his leg, one arm draped over Addison’s shoulder while he uses the other hand to flip the pages.
Cody picks his up; it looks like it’s been through war. The leather is worn, the edges frayed.
Jesse and Ella sit just down the row, juggling Cora and a Bible between them. Ella distracts Cora with a stuffed Elmo toy while Jesse turns to the right page.
I look further to Maureen and Leonard. It’s no surprise that they’re already on their pages and waiting patiently for the pastor to speak.
I feel like the odd one out, but then Mason, still in uniform from coming straight off a shift, reaches for one of the church Bibles and passes it my way.
I take it, feeling the weight of it in my hands…not just the book, but the moment.
Like I don’thaveto feel like the odd one out.
Chapter 7
Cody
Lunch at my parents’ after church is a regular thing, but now Karissa’s here too, sitting beside me at the long oak table.
It’s only been a week since I brought her into all this, introduced her to my family. But somehow it feels longer.
Jesse’s across from me, bouncing Cora gently on his leg between bites of his food. She’s five months old now, I think, but sitting up at the table like she runs the place, eyeing up every bite he takes. Ella’s next to them, spooning a little of the applesauce into Cora’s mouth and still somehow managing to feed herself with her other hand.
“You know, I have the high chair from when you guys were all little. I’ll have to pull it from storage for next week,” Mom says.
