One Last Prayer

Part 19

Chase taps his knuckles gently on the door, opening it at the same time. I lean onto my back looking over, his expression blank. "My mom's on her way to get us, Riley."

I sit up before standing with a slow stretch. "I thought we were going to try to hike together."

"I thought you might want to change." He gestures to me, reminding me of my outfit and smeared make up. I smile at him then look over at Tessa and wave as I walk out of her room. The smile she gives me as I pass Chase reaches her eyes, and I feel a small weight lift from my chest.

I lean my forehead against the cold window in the backseat of Janie's car watching as the cars fly by us on the freeway.

"Whatever you two have planned tonight, I need you home and ready for church in the morning." She says, her voice sounding clipped.

My stomach turns and I close my eyes. I don't know if it's the hangover or the mention of church in the morning. I haven't spoken to my father since our last interaction at the house, and I'm not ready to show up in front of a congregation that most likely knows everything that's been going on outside of those walls. As far as the building goes, that's his territory and I'm not sure what he would do if I were to show up there to listen to his sermon- with the boy I'm living with because he kicked me out of the house.

"What are you talking about? We aren't going." I keep my eyes shut at Chase's cold response to his mother.

"You are going." I open my eyes to find her eyes in the rearview mirror. They dart to me then back to the road. "Riley, typically I would say, 'my house, my rules,' but, I know you're probably not feeling up to showing up there. You get a pass."

"Why the fuck wouldn't I get a pass?" His voice raises higher than usual.

"Because you have no excuse. You're going. You had your pass last weekend."

"I'm not going."

"Chase, I don't know why this has to be a constant fight. I ask you to spare one hour a week. I don't ask you for much. I want one hour of your time." She sighs dramatically, pulling off on our exit and I flex and unflex my fingers, eager to get home.

"If you want an hour with me, I'll take you to lunch, mom. I don't want to go sit there and thank a God that took my dad from me."

My heart sinks to my stomach and I close my eyes again, covering my face with my hand as I lean to the side, mimicking sleep. My heart hurts for Chase. I know where his mind is. I don't know where his beliefs stand exactly, but I know how he could be angry. I'm right there with him. But his father chose to leave. I don't know where that sits with God, I don't know how judgement works, or where he's winded up because of it, but I do know that he made that choice. But I can sympathize with Chase's anger, because I feel it, too. Even if my Dad weren't the pastor, I wouldn't be ready to go sit and worship a God that took my mother away, and then took my innocence away by having my dad turn his back on me as soon as I tried to do anything that made me feel slightly alive when I lost the single most important woman in my life.

"You're going and that's the end of that." Janie's words are final and when Chase doesn't respond, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

We pull into the driveway several minutes later and I can't get out of the car fast enough. Out of habit I look across the street to the house I used to call home before I make my way to the door and walk inside. George is sitting on the couch looking at a blank wall and I look back to see how close Janie is to the door. When I see her and Chase arguing by the car, I walk in and put my hand gently on his shoulder.

"Good morning, George. How are you?" He looks at me and he smiles. He actually smiles and my heart melts.

"I've been seeing you a lot. Who are you?"