A Lily Among Thorns

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙵𝙾𝚁𝚃𝚈-𝙴𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃

✞ J U L I A N W E S T B R O O K ✞

N O V E M B E R- Month 7

"The congregation has a nickname for you behind your back," Julian casually tells Celai as he unloads more Thanksgiving food from the trunk of his car.

Celai appears unfazed about his statement. "Oh, really?"

"Yup. Do you want to know what it is?"

"No, I'm good. I don't care to know what they call me."

She picks up the big pan of macaroni and begins to walk back to the homeless shelter when Julian calls after her. "They call you Lady Westbrook." A smirk firmly sticks on Julian's face as Celai stops in her tracks. "You good?" he says as his eyes focus on the wobbling pan in her hands.

Celai stays facing away from Julian, visibly forming a response in her head. After a moment, she shrugs her shoulders. "It is what it is."

Julian chuckles and puts his hand in his pocket. As usual, he takes hold of the small velvet box that contains Celai's ring he had yet to put on her finger.

He'd been holding onto it since the day after Bernard passed— after he realized that Celai was there for him before he could call her— but God told him to wait to propose. He didn't like it at all, but he knew he had to heal and be in the right mindset. It felt like the ultimate test of obedience.

And until God gives him the green-light, he's just going to be holding onto her ring, carrying it everywhere until God tells him to do what he's been wanting to do for so long.

No matter how long that's going to take.

The director of the homeless shelter pulls Julian out of his thoughts. "By any chance, do you have any clothes with you as well?"

Julian spreads his lips into a warm smile. "We have everything you can imagine. Just give us a minute to get this food set up and we'll be ready to supply the shelter with everything you need."

The director smiles back. "Thanksgiving and Christmas have come early. God bless you and..." She turns her head to Celai, who's already back in the shelter.

Julian jumps in to finish her sentence. "Lady Westbrook."

| ✞ |

Celai groans like an old person as she steps out of Julian's car. "You think Mama Ruth would let us spend the night over here?" she asks him as she stretches, popping every stiff joint she has.

"Mm, I don't know about that," he says with stretched lips.

"After all that work we did today— passing out whole turkeys, serving the homeless, dodging the flirtatious ways of Mr. Simon— I'm exhausted and I don't think I can get back to my place."

Julian chuckles as they walk to the lit up house. "She won't go for us sleeping in the same bed on purpose, but I'll ask. And you seemed to enjoy Mr. Simon flirting with you."

She rolls her eyes at his false accusation. "Oh, please," she mutters.

The couple approaches the screen door and Julian opens it for Celai. She walks in, him following, and their eyes land on Mama Ruth in the den watching TV. "Heyyy, Mama!" Celai says.