Friendship And Family (Currently undergoing a rewrite. Do Not Read.)

CHAPTER 35. Goodbye.

                    Maria's POV

The Mass had come to an end and it was time for the Sunday announcement, but the catchiest came forward instead.

"Glory to Jesus." He started off with the Catholic greeting.

"Honor to Mary," the church responded.

"Before the Sunday announcement, Father George will like to share something with us," he said and ended with the same greeting, and then he walked over to the cross, bowed his head and proceeded down from the alter.

The church observed decorum as Father George stood up from his presider's chair. He approached the lectern and picked up the microphone. He greeted in the same way the catechist did and the church responded.

"My stay in St. John have been amazing. You all are wonderful parishioners, and very hospitable. As you all know, my eight years in this parish have been spent, and I just received a message of my transfer-"

He was interrupted by the murmuring of the church, and he chuckled in response into the microphone. "Yes, I will miss you all."

It was a sad one, but I could only think of one thing.

Francis...

                          ******

I held the rosary in my hand. It was the toughest ritual we'd ever done. The session wasn't even over yet and Francis was to leave the next day.

I felt my first word would come with tears so I took my time. I didn't want to make it any worse. My last prayer was about having the best Christmas, which I did, but now I couldn't be selfish.

"I..." I cleared my voice that was at the verge of a break down. "I pray we don't break up," I said. Andrew looked at me with a smile, a sad one, and their 'Amen' wasn't sound. I passed the rosary to Mathias.

"I pray the same," he said and gave the rosary to Agnes who handed it over to Andrew without saying a word, letting us know that she was in agreement, and Andrew did the same.

"You don't have to go with it," Agnes said to Francis who was now in possession of the rosary.

He sighed. "I've always prayed that someday, I'll find my parents," he then lifted his head, "but I couldn't have asked for a better family."

We were touched by his words and Andrew held his shoulder, a gesture to assure him that we would always be there.

"Speaking of family..." Controlling my emotions was harder than I thought. I opened my bag and brought out the black T-shirt. "We made this for you." I held out the shirt which had the palm print of the four of us in different colors. He received it, overwhelmingly.

"We wouldn't call it a parting gift 'cause we'll be seeing each other soon," Mathias said.

"Yeah," Andrew interjected, "we don't want you traveling alone."

He pressed his eyes that were now shut with his fingers, lowering his head down. I cleaned my own tears that rolled out in the moment.

"Group hug." Agnes' voice cracked in her attempt to cheer the atmosphere, and we all drifted closer on the mat.

                        

                          ******

Francis was living today and I was still in my bed and in my pyjamas, with my tablet in my hands as I reminisced on the memories, swiping through our photos, and then I played a video of his knockout attempt on Christmas Eve. It was as funny as the day it happened, but then my laughter turned to tears.