Take me to church (Book 1)

19- A service of glares

Those who make you feel special suddenly make the world seem slow and fast. The time you spend with them goes slowly and then when you wait to see them again everything else moves by quickly because it all doesn't matter. After Phil had said goodbye to Dan after leaving his grandmas the next week went very slowly, it was the opposite of going fast, there wasn't anymore church service that involved Dan, because he had university like normal young adults.

Where as Phil was stuck at home with Henry his tutor, trying to figure out if this is even all worth it anymore.

He's seventeen and still living with his father. He's old enough to move out but doesn't have a job, he doesn't have money, his father won't under any circumstances let him leave anyway and he has no way of transporting himself to places. Not to mention he has no qualifications until he turns twenty one.

His father paid for him to not be able to receive his qualifications until he's twenty one so it gave him more of an excuse to stay living with him. Yes, he's really that evil.

He knows Phil would leave the first chance he got. He knows he would stop going to church.
Without him behind his back and leading him with strings attached to his wrists and ankles, he would do things that his father wouldn't usually let him do. He can't wait for that day to arrive.

Today is Friday and it's a day where phil doesn't have tutoring and he's able to do what he likes. Church service is later, which is when he'll actually be able to see Dan again. But it's not like he has anyone to spend the rest of the day with, they're all at their jobs or at university.

Phil finds himself dragging his feet along the road behind him, he's heading somewhere very specific, just into town to buy his mum something for her birthday tomorrow. He doesnt have to go to church his father said, but he might as well.

The tiny trinket shop that phil and his mum used to go in all the time a few years ago is still standing strong, little bits and bobs that make things just that little bit cuter and special. His Mum got him a flower crown from here once and placed it on his head.

He had said to her 'does it make me that little bit more special and cute?' And she just replied with 'no, you're already a hundred percent special and cute.'

Those words stuck with him.

The small bell goes off and phils eyes search the shop, finding anything that just shouts his mum. It still has that groggy smell of old pine and dust, although it's well kept it still keeps that scent.

The present for his mum needs to go on her gravestone so it needs to be able to withstand the elements. She was always in the garden, she installed the pond in there and had flowers littered around it in beautiful patterns. Bees and other wildlife would always show up because of the flowers. She always told Phil never to be afraid of the bees, be kind and respectful to them, it stops the bees.

At that moment of thinking, a small bee windmill catches his eyes and a smile grows on his face thinking how perfect it is.

He picks it up and takes it to the counter.

"Hello Philip, haven't seen you in a while." The old lady, Janice, exclaims happily as she walks up behind the till. "Oh this is lovely." She comments and Phil nods shyly.

"It's for mum." He softly informs and her eyes turn soft as she places it in a bag.

"I'm sure she'll love it darling, here you go."

She passes it to him and he holds the money out. "How much?" He asks curiously.

"No charge." She shakes her head and pushes it towards him. He tilts his head and continues holding out the money. "Phil, as long as you continue being happy then I don't require any payment. It's her birthday tomorrow, that's my present to her."