He Loved Me First ✓

He Loved Me First (18)

Chapter 18

The hardest part of this decision was telling Felicity. “Thy will be done,” I whispered. I had decided to meet Felicity at our favorite coffee shop to tell her. When she arrived, I was tense. I was more nervous than I ever had been around her. I didn't know why.

“What's wrong, Oliver?” she asked.

“Nothing. I just have to tell you something.”

“So out with it.”

“Okay.” I took a deep breath, then quickly said, “I'm entering the seminary.”

She was speechless for a good ten seconds. She was completely shocked, then completely happy. She got up from her seat and hugged me tightly. “Oh, Oliver!” she said, smiling brightly. “I am so happy for you!” Then she started laughing uncontrollably.

“What?” I asked.

“Mrs. Larabee,” she said between giggles.

“And your brother,” I said.

“Which one?”

“Peter told me the same thing. He said he was told to tell me that. Then he said a lady showed up in his dream and told him to tell me to be a priest.”

“And this lady was the same one as from your dream?”

“Yes. You seem like you know something that you aren't telling me.”

“I do know something, but it's not my place to tell you about it. I can't. I'm sorry.”

“It's okay,” I said.

A few weeks later, at another dinner with her family, Felicity and I told them the new news. They held family dinners every two weeks, which meant that every two weeks all of them came home to eat together. This included Felicity and the twins who were living on their own, and Joseph who was in college.

“Oliver would like to make an announcement,” Felicity said. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at me.

“Thanks,” I said, somewhat sarcastically. Then I had to smile at her.

I looked at Peter first, then at Felicity, who nodded at me encouragingly. I took so long to speak that Lucy asked, “Is this a secret?”

I laughed, “No, it's not.”

“Oh, just tell them already!” Felicity said. Then she said, “Oliver's entered the seminary.”

Time froze. No one moved. But then Peter stood and began clapping. Then Joseph said to Agnes, “I told you so! Pay up!”

I looked at Peter questioningly. He said, “Don't look at me. I didn't tell them anything.”

“Was there some sort of bet going on here?” I asked.

“It was just for five bucks,” Agnes said. “I can't believe I lost!”

I stared at them in disbelief. Felicity's dad then said, “Congratulations. And I not just saying this because I get to keep my little girl for a little while longer.”

I smiled at him. “Thank you.”

Lucy protested, “But now you can't marry me!”

“Aw, Lucy,” I said. “Someday you'll find someone to marry, and how about I officiate your wedding? Then I technically would be marrying you.”

“I guess that's okay then,” she said with a small smile.

“That's my girl!” I told her.

I wrote to my sister about this news after leaving the Jones household. Of course, she was elated. She encouraged me to write to our parents, but I couldn't make myself do that. I still didn't know why exactly, but I couldn't.