SPASE

SPASE: CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

St. Paul's Episodical Church: 8:00 PM Saturday

Rain pounds the windshield of the taxi cab as it sits at a stand still outside of the church. Its wipers squeak as they attempt to give the driver a clear view, but the driver isn't looking out the front window. The driver peers at his rearview mirror as Frank, Maddie's father, stares at the church, frozen. Both of them, unaware they are actually three of them in the car. Afraid to breathe as if it would give away their presence, Maddie sits beside Frank in the car, confused.

"Hey, man. Look. Not that I mind or anything, but you're racking up minutes here," says the driver as he taps his wide, fat fingertips against the cash clock. "You got somewhere to be, man? We've been sitting here for over twenty minutes."

"Why the hell are we at a church?" Maddie says to themselves.

Frank continues to stare out of the window of the church. It stands just as strong today as it stood when it was first built in 1912. The dark brick offsets the stained glass windows that give off the shape of flowers and Jesus, as well as others Frank didn't know. Maddie feels him. He doesn't even know why he came here. Frank watches others smoke their cigarettes outside and walk back in. The people seem hesitant. Frank's hesitant. Maddie is hesitant.

They don't understand why he would come here. A thought runs across their mind that maybe, just maybe he decided to turn to God for company, considering that without them, he was truly alone. Maddie likes to think the best in everyone, and that even if they are shitty, somewhere deep down, they don't mean to be. That's the point of creating Big Burly Betsy; Triple B is fierce, confident, but most of all, loving. She believes the best in everyone and through her creation, gives Maddie the strength to be as well.

Maddie searches for that place in Frank's glare as he stares out the window. They find nothing but someone empty.

The driver coughs as Frank continues to stare out the window. With hands shaking, Frank finally grasps the car door handle and pushes it open. He quickly shuts the door and pulls his hood over his greasy, hair. Frank begins to walk to the door of the church when he hears shouting from the cab. Maddie follows close behind Frank, following his every move.

"Yo, you gonna pay me or what!?" the driver yells.

Frank turns and walks over to the rolled-down window and hands him a twenty.

"Keep the change," Frank says under his breath.

"Since when is he so generous?" Maddie says under their breath. Maddie knows that Frank can't actually hear them. A part of Maddie wishes he could though.

As the cab finally pulls away, Frank manages to find something within his being to push himself forward and make his way up the front steps, past the huddled group of smokers, and through the church's large, ominous wooden doors.

Burnt coffee lingers through the air as Frank enters the church. The hall is dark, almost cold. Looking to his left, Frank notices a whiteboard propped against a canvas stand.

Alcoholics Anonymous Room 102.

"Holy fuck!" Maddie thinks. "Is he serious right now?" Maddie doesn't believe what they're seeing. Why now? Intrigued, Maddie follows close behind, excited for the shit show that's about to unravel.

Following the aroma of burnt coffee, Frank walks down the dark hall and is met with a little light pouring out into the hall and staining the carpet in front of it. It reminds him of spilled bourbon after a night of drinking and finding that it had stained the carpet the next morning.

Frank positions himself in front of Room 102 ready for the possibility of a new beginning. With a sweaty, shaky hand, he pushes open the door only to be greeted with a smile.