Heaven or Hell by Roni Teson Read Free Book Online Page A

face. But as she stood a few feet away, he saw the deep lines across her forehead and the cold distance of her eyes. Her expression indicated a bitter annoyance.
    “Would you rather do this another time?” Father Benjamin asked Teresa.
    “Father,” Teresa looked down at her cell phone while she spoke, “I’d rather not do it all. But I promised my Aunt Jessie I’d go with her to see where her brother worked.” Teresa stepped through the office door with Jessie only a few steps behind.
    As the aunt approached Father Benjamin, she hesitated right in front of him. At that moment, he thought he saw her wink, an action that reminded him of Juan. He was almost certain, Jessie’s left eyebrow lifted as she winked her right eye. Or was that a twitch? He had to admit, he already missed Juan. His anger toward Juan would only hold out for so long, and that’s how it worked with his friend. The priest knew this one was going to hurt and maybe that’s why he was so angry. He followed the women into the hall and shut the office door.
    “Right this way, ladies.” Father Benjamin led the women to Juan’s office while he thought about that search for the General.
    The General had been a fixture at the shelter, and Juan believed they could find him and bring him home. Or more importantly, he believed they needed to find him and bring him home. The General, whose nickname was given to him because of his bossy demeanor and the stripes on his jacket, was too old and too sick to stay outside all night. Years ago they’d tried to find his true identity, but to no avail. On this topic, the General had refused to help, or, perhaps, as he’d claimed, he didn’t remember who he was.
    When they’d started out on the second day of their mission to find the General, Father Benjamin had told Juan he didn’t look good.
    “Thanks, Father, I appreciate that.” Juan smiled.
    “Hey, this business isn’t for the timid,” Father Benjamin said.
    “Yeah, it seems I’ve heard that, once or twice before. I’ll be okay.”
    Juan had been using a cane to get around for the previous few months. On this day, he’d seemed to lean on it somewhat more than usual. His face was pale and he appeared to have lost some weight, yet he looked swollen.
    “Have you been to your doctor?” the priest asked.
    “Father, we need to find the General.” Juan ignored Father Benjamin’s question.
    They’d made it down Washington Street, when Juan had doubled over and collapsed. Knowing this wasn’t a favorite area of emergency services, Father Benjamin had shamefully taken great care in telling the 911 operator this was not a typical call from Skid Row. He’d called back twice, and through it all the priest had managed to wake Juan and keep his friend alive. Thank goodness he’d gotten the ambulance there in less than thirty minutes. They’d saved Juan’s life—or for the moment at least.
    After Juan was hospitalized, Father Benjamin learned of Juan’s family and his abandonment of them. Before Juan’s disclosure, Father Benjamin had thought Juan was the closest thing to a brother he’d ever had. Together, they’d seen their share of deaths and tragedies at the center, and they’d bonded through the commonality of their work.
    Father Benjamin had been proud of Juan. He’d been under the impression that Juan had defied all odds to become a man fully recovered from his addiction. He’d been through the program, sobered up, stayed clean, and became a leader. A feat that the priest had rarely seen.
    Now, Juan’s recovery seemed like a deception to him. He’d felt personally betrayed and used. Indeed, Father Benjamin had helped Juan change his identity from Joe to Juan. Had he enabled this man to hide from his family and not be accountable for his own actions? Had he made up his own version of their brotherly love, too? His friendship with Juan now appeared false. It reminded Father Benjamin of the many one sided, couple relationships he’d