our gentle sin

salvation

2.

LISA POV

Apparently, Dad was serious about the rules. He had taken my phone but did promise to give it back soon. Luckily, I had managed to message Mina to let her know before he took it, otherwise, she would think I was ghosting her. And whilst being watched like a hawk, I couldn't exactly just go to her house and let her know what was going on.

When I left my room the next morning, feeling a little lighter now that I had (more or less) come out to my dad, I was quickly called to his office. The door was already ajar and I pushed it open to see dad working on something. I couldn't see exactly what it was but it seemed like some sort of calendar.

"Whilst you were sleeping the day away, I was doing this." He exclaimed, gesturing to it.

"I mean, it's literally only noon." I say pointedly, suppressing a yawn. "But what is this exactly?"

"This, my dear daughter, is your life for the next month."

"Month? That's not too bad."

"Well, we'll review it every month, of course. But I've decided I was being too harsh when I said that you couldn't go out, you're free Friday's and Saturday's, but every other day you are booked up. And I still don't want you seeing that girl." He adds the last part with a tone that was edging on spiteful, that I choose to ignore.

Of course, I was planning on sneaking out anyway, but this worked out well, but if he thought he could stop me from seeing Mina he had another thing coming, he didn't have to know just yet though.

I scanned over the chart he had made and it didn't seem too bad. I recognised most of the activities from when I was younger, and I honestly didn't mind them. Most of the people I met in the Church were genuine people, well, as long as I didn't ask them what they thought about homosexuality or abortion.

"What is this one here? Time with the sisters."

"Ah yes, I spoke with the head nun, Mother Superior, and she agreed to help you, so you'll be spending quite a bit of time with them."

"The rest I am fine with, but I really do not want to spend time with a bunch of nuns."

'Well, that's too bad,' he waves my protest off. 'They're going to help you find your relationship with God again.'

"Who said I lost it?"

"No one needed to, your recent behaviour speaks for itself, and I'm not talking about the incident yesterday. I may turn a blind eye to things sometimes, but that doesn't mean I don't know." There's an insinuation in his words that doesn't go over my head, but I ignore it, knowing it could lead to another argument, one where I wouldn't be able to defend myself so easily.

"So, the whole lesbian thing was just what toppled you over the edge?" I brush off the implications inconspicuously.

"The experimenting incident was not something I could ignore when I found you the way that you did."

"I cannot hang with the nuns; I will stick out like a sore thumb, and they will hate me for being gay."

"First of all, you are not gay, and second of all, they won't hate you; they're nuns. Besides, not all of them will know, and third of all, you keep forgetting you have no choice. From these times on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, you will be with them."

I tilted my head back and groaned to convey my displeasure. It made no difference though.

"Enjoy your last day of freedom, because tomorrow your new life begins!"

It was Saturday today, which meant tomorrow would be my busiest day according to my new calendar, which was ironic since the Sabbath was a day of resting.

I took dad's advice to enjoy my last day of freedom, although I'm sure if he knew my intentions, he would eat his words, since of course, I was planning on seeing my girlfriend. I did feel a twinge of guilt for lying to him when he clearly trusted me, but in all fairness, it wasn't right of him to stop me from seeing her.

Dad was a popular man around town. Everyone knew him, everyone liked him. That meant I had to travel just a little further to meet Mina so we could act like girlfriends in public. I wasn't into the whole hiding who I was anymore.

We met at our favourite coffee shop. I caught sight of her in our usual corner, she was already tucked in with a drink in front of her when I arrived.

"Hey, did you order for me?" I pecked her lips then took the seat opposite her, placing my jacket on the back of the chair.

"Yeah, an espresso and the brownie that you like. So, did you have to sneak away?"

"Dad has very kindly given me Friday and Saturday off, but I am still grounded for the rest of the week."

"At least you got the best days off. Was he really mad?"

"No, actually, but he is convinced that he can change me and that this is just a phase, so he's arranged for me to do a bunch of Church activities, as if that will suppress my sinful urges."

Mina giggled, a waitress brought our orders and I took a small sip of my coffee.

"But that's not all, the best part is I will be spending a shit load of time with nuns!"

Mina choked on her hot chocolate. I laughed as she recovered herself.

"Nuns? What for?"

"To repair my relationship with God, of course."

"You have to tell me all about what they're like."

'I will, although I'm sure it will be pretty boring. Also, dad banned me from meeting you, so we have to be careful when we go out, I'll try sneaking out on the other nights too, but it may be hard. I think dad will be keeping a close eye on me, he mentioned something about my recent behaviour, but it's not about last night.' Remembering the allusions that dad had threaded into our conversation earlier this morning, I decided to mention it.

"What then?"

"My guess is the drinking or partying, I'm not sure how he found out, but he said he was turning a blind eye to it."

"Your life sounds like a bad reality show right now. Preacher's daughter gets caught being a deviant homosexual and has to go live with the nuns."

I rolled my eyes at her playfully and swallow down a laugh.

"I'm glad you're finding this amusing, but I am not living with the nuns, just spending six hours a week with them."

"Should I mentally prepare myself for you to come out of this as a straight girl?" Mina kept teasing.

"If you keep laughing at my pain, you should mentally prepare yourself to come out of this single."

"Fine! Fine, I'll stop." She claimed, but for the rest of the date she kept throwing out subliminal teases that I couldn't help laughing at after a few tries. Kissing her goodbye in between smiles with promises to meet again soon.

When I arrived home later that day, dad asked me where I had been, it didn't feel good lying to him, but I didn't feel guilty enough to stop.

This was my life, and I was going to live it whichever way I wanted to. It wasn't for him to dictate, regardless of whether he raised me or not.