A Lily Among Thorns

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝚆𝙾

✞ C E L A I   L a C R O I X ✞

"Nah, you gotta remember I'm just an associate pastor. I don't preach every Sunday like Pastor E, I only preach once a month."

"Aw, that's too bad. I love Pastor Edmonds, but it's just something about the way you preach, I'm not sure what it is but you got it."

Celai tuned out the laughter of her mother and the man she was talking to and continued looking around the church she was in the center of, Disciples of Truth. Her arms were firm across her chest. It was one thing for Kassima to bring her to church when she knows Celai likes tuning in online, but to also have her stay after everyone else was long gone pushed her too far over the edge.

Celai glanced at the door and thought about escaping, but as soon as the thought crossed her mind, her mother pulled her in the conversation.

"Where are my manners? Pastor, this is my daughter, Celai. Celai, this is Pastor Julian Westbrook, the one I told you about."

"Oh, so you've been talking about me, huh?" Pastor Westbrook questioned as a curious smile appeared on his face. His eyes landed on Celai. "What did she tell you?" he asked her.

Celai stared at his thick two toned lips as he spoke and nearly licked her own. His teeth were blinding and straight and his freshly cut mustache went along his upper lip. It connected to his wild-but-maintained beard that made its way up his jaw. Her eyes moved along his face and took in the smooth caramel skin that went perfectly with his dark brown eyes. It was almost as dark as his hair, which was a perfect curly mess upon his head.

She had half-listened to what Kassima said about Pastor Westbrook, mainly because she pictured some nerdy young man who knew a lot about God, but he was nothing like what she expected.

He took her hand into his and shook it, which was Celai's cue to speak. "Just that you were good at what you do," she said tamely, though on the inside she was a mess, especially since she had to look up at him because he was so tall.

"I can show you better than I can tell you," he said, his slight southern accent bleeding through his words and his deep voice sending vibrations through Celai's body. His hand dropped hers gently and he looked back at Kassima. "I'll be preaching the Sunday after next." His eyes went back to Celai's and her heart began to beat so loudly in her ears she could hardly hear what he said. But she managed to make out the words, "I really hope to see you there Celai."

A smile relieved on her face. "I wouldn't miss it."

Lights as bright as Pastor Westbrook's smile blinds Celai and the question dawns on her as to why she had been thinking of her and her pastor's first interaction which was over nine months ago.

She raises her hand to block the white lights in her eyes and begins to hear shifting from the side of her. "You're up," someone, a man, says.

"My head hurts," she croaks. Her throat burns from how dry it is.

"I bet it does," a woman's voice says. A woman in light blue scrubs comes up to Celai and shines a light in both her eyes. "Hi, Celai. Do you know where you are?" she asks calmly as she clicks off the light.

Celai looks at her surroundings, squinting. "A hospital?" she guesses.

"Mhm," the woman, a nurse, says. "Do you know what happened?"

Celai tries thinking back to her last waking moment and shakes her head gently when her mind goes blank. The last thing she could remember was saying goodbye to her clients and leaving in her car.