With the Father by Jenni Moen Read Free Book Online Page B

“I’m sorry, Grace. I just meant that hot. I’m   not impervious to hotness –
even on a priest.”
    Kate legitimately tried to watch what she said around me, but walking
on eggshells didn’t suit her. I didn’t want to make her or anyone else feel
like that. Casual references to death were a part of life. It was something I
would have to get used to.
    “I kind of felt like a third wheel on a first date last night,” I said,
trying to lighten the mood while playing into her joke. “Except he’s a priest,
and you’re a heathen.”
    “Well, that’s not fair. I haven’t had a boyfriend in years.” She poked
me in the chest and grinned at me.
    “Exactly.”
    “Besides, it would have been a terrible first date anyway,” she said.
“It’s never good when your date can’t take his eyes off the third wheel.”
    “What are you talking about? I was the third wheel.”
    “And he couldn’t take his eyes off of you.”
    “He’s concerned about me. He’s figured out that I’m a lost lamb. It’s
his job to help me find my way.”
    “Maybe, but he was staring at you the whole night.   I couldn’t get a read on him. He does
seem like he’d be a good listener though. Maybe you should, you know, talk to
him. Maybe he’ll throw some poignant bible verses at you to help you figure
things out.”
    I narrowed my eyes at her. The thought of talking to anyone tied my
stomach up in knots. Plus, the garbage that she was spouting right now didn’t
sound like Kate at all.
    “He’s going to come here and help me work on the coat drive thing … you
know, so I don’t have to go to Karen’s Kitchen.”
    “Well, whatever. This is good. All good things. If you need any help with this coat thing, let me know. And, if you change your
mind, I’m going to swing by the kitchen tonight and see if I can help out.”
    “What’s gotten into you?” This new do-gooder attitude of Kate’s was
throwing me for a loop. “Is an exorcism in order?”
    “Do you think Father Poke can help with that?” she said, wiggling her
eyebrows at me.
    “Terrible. You are terrible.”
    “What?” she asked. “I really want to help. I loved Mom, too. Besides,
being cold and hungry is a real bitch.” There was the Kate I knew and
loved. She hadn’t   gone far.
    We laid there silently for a few minutes until
she finally broached the subject that brought her in here into my room in the
first place. “So … yeah … I said that I needed to talk to you about something.”
    “I thought you wanted to talk about the office.”
    “I did, but there’s also an insurance guy that’s been calling.   Dad has been putting him off because he
thinks you aren’t ready to talk with him, and it’s not like you need the money
or anything, but he’s getting more insistent. It’s been five months. They want
to pay out on the house and wrap things up, but they can’t do that until they
talk to you first.”
    My stomach flipped and bile burned my throat. Whoever had thought up
the concept of life insurance hadn’t lost someone they loved. There was no
amount of money that could compensate me for my loss, and accepting any kind of
payment felt like I’d be putting a dollar figure on my husband, my kids, and
our life together.
    “I don’t want the money.”
    “So give it away. Give it to the Fuckable Father.   He’ll spread it around and
change the world.”   There was
something in her eyes that led me to think that she believed what she was
saying. I’d thought that Father Paul was enamored with her, but it was possible
that it was the other way around.
    Something about that bothered me. “Your mouth is disgusting.”
    “You love me anyway.” She poked at me. “Come on. I know you do.”  
    I stared at the ceiling and tried to ignore the fact that she was
watching me. Finally, I felt her push off the bed.
    She turned around at the door.   “Just think about it, okay? The number’s in the
kitchen by the phone. I’m going to the