The Priest

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Andy huffs as he walks down the stairs in his home to the front door.

He opens the door and sees Asher standing there, a hopeful smile on her face.

"Hello Asher. Come in."he says, stepping aside.

"Hi Andy."she smiles as she steps inside, walking into the house.

Andy gives a quick look to see if anyone was outside. He sees no one, so he steps back into the house, closing the door.

.....

"I brought you some comics. And your laptop here so you can watch your shows."I smile, placing his laptop on the side table.

His one eye follows me around as I move.

"Oh and look! You know how mom just had to fly to Guatemala? She brought you this back!"

I pull out a goofy looking bobblehead of a character from the anime demon slayer.

"Look! It wiggles!"

I then proceeded to make it bobble with a big, dumb smile on my face.

Suddenly his eye closes, and his chest moves as if he were laughing.

I smile, chuckling as I sit down in the chair beside his bed.

His eye opens again and he seems happy, relaxed.

"Are you in any pain, Benny?"I ask.

His eye moves side to side, signaling no.

I hear a knock on the door and look back.

I see Andy there, still in his priest clothing.

"Oh! Hi Andy!"I say excitedly, standing.

"I didn't see you at the service today."Andy says before bringing a bouquet of flowers from behind his back, making me gasp with excitement.

"Awe, I've never been gifted flowers before."I smile, blushing.

"And these are for you, Ben."Andy says, holding up another bouquet.

"And I'm sorry I wasn't at service today. I wanted to stay with him."I say, looking back at my brother.

I see his eye wide, and panicky.

"You're looking better already, Ben."Andy says, walking over to him.

...

"Benny what's wrong? Is it the catheter again? I could go get the nurse."Addison says.

Ben's eyes go towards Andy, and Andy smiles, discreetly grabbing the PCA pump that controlled the morphine drip Ben was on as he places the flowers on the bedside table, holding it behind his back.

He begins pressing the pump as Addison speaks.

"Benny, what is it?"she asks, stepping closer.

He looks at her, and then back at Andy repeatedly. But then his eye begins to blink slower, and eventually he falls asleep.

"Oh my goodness I wonder what that was. Maybe he's itching somewhere."Addison says as Andy drops the PCA.

"He was just tired, love. Just tired."Andy says, pulling the rosary from around his wrist and placing it softly on Ben's chest.

"Let him rest."

She huffs, nodding as Andy walks over to her.

"I have to get back to the church, the children will be arriving soon. Would you like to come?"he asks with a smile.

"The children? For what?"I question.

"The dance. Didn't you know?"he asks.

"Oh my goodness what!"I ask.

"The kindergartens from the elementary school are having their spring flower dance tonight at the church. Come on, it'll be fun."he chuckles, taking my hand.

"How precious!"I say.

.....

Hours before..

"Wow, it smells good in here."Asher chuckles as she enters Andrews house.

"I'm cooking for the spring dance tonight. Are you hungry?"he asks as they enter the dining room.

"Well, I came to talk about us.. Andy. I...I thought that after all I've done for you that-..that what I did the other day would convince you that we should be together."she stammers.

She looks up, seeing Andy looking down with a confused stare.

"....what are you talking about, Asher?"

Her face drops again and her hands come together.

"W-what- do you mean? Andy y-you told me to cut the line, th-the tube on the welding torch."she says, making him smirk, tilting his head.

"Did I tell you to do that?"he asks with a soft smile.

"N-no, but y-you said-"

"I simply implied, that it would make me so happy if someone were to do that for me."he shrugs, stepping closer to her.

"And you were so desperate to make me happy that you did it on your own free will, right Asher?"he asks as she begins to cry.

"Y-you told me you loved me."she whimpers.

"Oh Asher, you're such a good girl, you are."Andy smiles, wiping her dripping mascara.

"You followed my every order, and you did everything you could to make me happy. But you're not my angel, Asher."he says softly, cupping her cheek.

"Addison is my angel."

She slaps his hands away from her face angrily.

"Fine! I'm telling her what you said! I'm gonna tell her you made me do it! And when Ben gets better he's gonna tell everyone too!"she sobs, turning to walk away.

Before she could, Andy wraps an arm around her throat and pulls her back, causing her to shout before he covers her mouth.

"I'm afraid I can't let you, or him, do that."he says softly before throwing her towards the dining table.

She shrieks before hitting her head against the table and then falling to the ground, motionless.

He huffs, leaning down and grabbing her ankles and pulling her towards the hall.

He drags her towards the suspicious door with several locks, picking up his cross necklace.

"You need to control yourself, Andy."he says to himself quietly as he begins unlocking the locks.

.....