Dark Secrets • Cardinal Copia

Chapter One

Embry rushed to get on her white beautiful dress, then do her makeup and then brush her hair. She was in such a rush because she had slept in and she has church in 30 minutes.

Thank the Lord that she only lived 10 minutes from their new Church.

She drew on eyeliner wings and mascara and called it a face full of makeup, she brushed out her tangles after wetting her hair and then scrunched to get the curls her mother loves so much.

The dress went down passed her knees and she wore sandles to complete the look.

She was ready, finally.

She walked down the stairs and she saw her mom impatiently waiting at the front door, "Come on Embry, let's go! Into the car young lady!"

Embry rushed out the door, just like her whole morning has been so far, and shut the door, then buckled up.

"Embry, you can't be waking up that late for church. You know how I feel about that."

"Yes ma'am." Embry kept her head straight and looked out the windshield, looking straight ahead.

He mother stayed quiet after that, just trying to get the two of them safely to their destination.

Embry thought about how her friends really feel now that she's gone. Into a whole different state.

Luckily Embry couldn't think about that no longer because her mother had pulled into the big Church.

Cars upon cars were piled into this place.

It was a two story church which seemed to be very popular. However the name was pretty basic "Church of Christ". Embry thought with how popular it was it would at least say the town they were in. It was like the author that was writing her book couldn't think of any type of name for one simple church. Really? How lame of an author are they?

Holding her mother's hand, she walked into the church that was bursting with talking men, women, and children.

They all looked at the two ladies that walked through the doors, even greeting them to their heavenly church.

"Welcome ladies, I hope you find this Church to be very welcoming and feel right at home." They would say something along those lines, but Embry wasn't paying any attention, crowds this big gave her anxiety like no other.

The mother had found seats for the two and sat them down in the isle seats.

Embry had her head down trying to avoid all the new faces, afraid if she sees one she'll go ballistic.

A hand had placed itself on Embry's shoulder, and a voice passed through her ears. "I see new beautiful ladies here. Welcome. I'm Papa, the preacher at this church. This is Sodo. I call them my angles. That is Aether."

"Hello ma'am." One of them spoke, and Embry raised her head to see the guy that had spoke had long blonde hair and a mustache. He shook her mother's hand.

"I'm Laura. This is my daughter Embry." Her mom introduced the two.

The preacher smiled and shook Laura's hand, then looked at the poor anxiety ridden girl.

"You have such a beautiful name." She looked at him and nodded slightly as if to say thank you. He chuckled, "You must be very shy! That's okay. We-my g-Angles and I are going to make you feel very welcomed here. Everyone here is very polite and kind. You, my dear, are going to fit in quite well." He reassured the girl.

She simply nodded and whispered a thank you, looking back down at her lap as he walked away.

Something about that man had him place in her mind. He was all she could think about. She thought about his black eye makeup and black top lip, she thought it was strange, but thought he looked good that way, his little mustache looked good on him too, she thought. Her mind traveled to the feeling of his hand on her shoulder, he touched her gently, but firm.

Embry began to feel funny. She didn't understand what was happening as she squirmed in her seat. She closed her legs tighter, hoping to suppress the feeling in her downstairs region.

What was happening to her, she thought. Her thoughts about the preacher changed into why she was feeling this way, this uncomfortable feeling that she has never felt before.

"Embry, stop all that moving. Sit still." Her mother scolded.

"Yes ma'am." Embry sat up, no slouching and looked straight ahead to... The stage?...

This church has a stage?

Embry has never been to a church that had a stage, in fact every church that she's been too has been small and only sat her and her mother in individual chairs.

Embry didn't think her mother knew just how big and popular this church was. It was fancy.

Embry began to actually look around now, chandeliers along the ceiling, that had paintings of Jesus, god, and angels. The windows weren't able to be seen out of, they were stained glass, of the same thing on the ceiling. The walls of the church was a beige color with a red outline. The floor was short cut carpet, a nice grey color. The doors that led to the outside was a nice brown color, not too light and not too dark, right in the medium of colors. The pew she was sitting on was a red velvet, with a light brown wood that the velvet was on. The walk way between the two sets of pews was also a red velvet carpet that lead from the door to the stage. In front of her on the back of the pew in front of her was little holders for bibles.

Embry was in awe at how beautiful this church was, how big it was, she paid attention to every little detail.

She stopped admiring it when Papa walked in stage, from behind the dark purple velvet curtain. He walked up to the mic.

"Hello! Ladies and Sir's! Good morning everyone. Today is a blessed morning, we have two new ladies added to our family." Hearing Papa say ladies so much made her realize why everyone here says Ladies too. She was positive even her author wrote that word down a lot too. Maybe to fit the setting Embry was in?

Everyone turned to look at Embry and her mother, Laura. Embry's face went bright red and she immediately looked down.

"Don't be shy Ladies. Go ahead and stand up for the crowd." Papa requested and Laura stood up and grabbed Embry by the hand to make her stand up too, unlike what Embry had planned, which was to sit down and stay as hidden as possible, maybe even crawl under the pew? "See aren't they just beautiful?" Every clapped, making Embry begin to panic.

Too many eyes were on her and she definitely didn't like it.

Breathe through the nose, out through the mouth.

She repeated over and over, and somehow it still wasn't working. She didn't even hear Papa tell the two girls to sit down, but Laura had sat down, and that made Embry sit down.

Embry was a little upset with Papa making her do that, but she'll get over it.