Feelings at Bay

Chapter 5

Statues and stain glass windows over populated the local church. It was Thursday, so it was unusual for someone to be in here. Mary, Joseph and other religious figures were depicted, watching over those inside. The lone individual sitting in a pew seemed fixated on an image of a man with a sheep next to him.

A look of anxiousness was on his face as he got up. His green eyes looked behind him as he heard footsteps come from behind. A younger officer appeared and walked over to him, wearing the navy blue uniform.

"You picked a strange spot for our usual meetup, Chief." He said quietly.

"Things are finally brewing up here in town. Everyone has been so invested in local affairs that no one is paying attention to anything except that end of the season party."

"Just like last year."

"Childish pranks are one thing. Actual damage to public property is another. Add that to the police force with a leader that's going to retire before Christmas; you end up with plenty to think about."

"So you're... seeking help from... them?" He asked pointing to the paintings.

The old man laughed. His voice scratchy and out of tone.

"No, I'm not a religious man, by any means; but, back home in Europe, my mother would spend most of her free time in the cathedral. Whatever, I guess this stuff gets more important as you get old like me.... Anyway, how's your own family doing."

After asking that, the older man reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigar.

Guess old habits do die hard.

"You're not supposed to do that here."

"I'll confess it this Sunday. Go on, how is the family?"

"My wife is still out on that trip. Our little girl seems to be getting along quite well in this village. Thanks to your help with relocating us here, we've been able to start up a new life; she loves the fancy house and surplus of cash she can throw around. Sometimes, I can't help but worry about her."

"Time certainly flies by. I remember you and your wife carrying a little girl in the pouring rain some ten or twelve year ago. Anyway, don't worry about her. If she's anything like you, you'll have nothing to worry about."

"Do you have any kids of your own?" He asked with some hesitation.

"I had a son. His mother unfortunately died during labor, leaving me to fend for the both of us. I raised him for the first six months of his life, but I knew he would have a better life with another family who could take care of him. So, I got help from an orphanage that had a great reputation within the community. But that was ages ago."

"Children are something special, that's for sure." He chuckled in response.

. . .

"Goddamn it! Why is this wrong?"

It was day four of this new arrangement.

Pale, bony fists slammed on the desk as she stood up in a rage. Any semblance of the beautiful angel that most guys were attracted to was long gone. Her makeup seemed to be wearing out as well due to the heat. Stress and pure hatred do a lot more damage to one's physical appearance than Matthew had realized.

"I followed your stupid English rules to the letter! Why is it not spelled this way?"

"Because words can have more than one spelling; other times, they can have the same spelling but mean two completely different things. Like bat, right, and bark."

"Jeez, this is driving me crazy."

"You've been there this whole time."

"Hey, you know how everyone is going to Jordan's place later?"