Page 2 of Sinned

I nodded as I realized Evelyn was the only person I had seen since I parked my car. There weren’t any people on the streets and for a city it was strangely quiet. Even most of the buildings looked like they had been abandoned.

“I…I…,” I stammered as I looked at the church across the street. I turned back and looked at Evelyn with her gentle expression and couldn’t stop myself from talking.

“Has there ever been that one person you just couldn't shake?” I asked as she met my gaze and nodded. “For me that was Charlie. It didn't matter how much time had gone by I couldn't stop thinking about him. He was that guy who made all that bullshit inromance novels make sense. And trust me, I know, I'm addicted to those books.”

“Oh, honey,” she said with a smile. “Aren’t we all? But go on.”

“He was tall, dark, and handsome and the hottest guy I ever saw, but it wasn’t just his looks, there was more to him. Much more. Just how he looked at me with his pale blue eyes,or the way he said my name ‘Ava’ as if it was part of his breathing.” I closed my eyes and imagined his husky voice speaking my name. “Even how he'd cock his head to the side whenever he was thinking. Everything he did just hit me where it counts, you know?”

Evelyn nodded as she spread the apple butter over the coffee cake.

“I can’t believe I’m telling you all of this,” I said as I shook my head. “I don’t usually talk this much.”

“It’s my gift,” she said with a shrug. “We all have that special something. Mine is that people open up to me and I help them with their troubles. And I can see that you’re troubled. I noticed it when you were standing outside.”

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

“Well, I know you didn’t ask for my advice, just like you didn’t ask for this cake, but trust me, you’re getting them both.” She slid the cake closer to me. “I’ve lived a long time and I’ve seen a lot of things. And the most important thing that I learned is that life is short. You don’t want to have come all this way and regret anything, do you?”

I shook my head as I stuffed a forkful of cake into my mouth. The cinnamon and the apple played together perfectly. The cake was moist and fluffy. She was right about it being heavenly. I suspected Evelyn was right about most things.

“Then go across that street and find him,” she said. “Life is much too short to be away from the man you love. Even if he is a priest.”

How did she know?

As I stared at her, she stood from the chair and patted my back. She pointed out the window and I turned to look. A tall , dark haired priest dressed in his robes with a purple stole quickly went up the steps and entered the church. I recognized Charlie immediately. I looked back at Evelyn and she squeezed my cheeks.

“Eat your cake and then go,” she said. “Time waits for no one.”

Within minutes I was standing on the sidewalk facing the church again.

This is why I’m here. Why aren’t my feet moving? What if he doesn’t remember me? What if he doesn’t feel the same way? For God’s sake, he’s a priest.

I swallowed hard and pushed the thoughts away. I had to see him. I didn’t have a choice.

As I crossed the street, the wind whipped through my hair, blinding me for a moment. I walked quicker, trying to get away from the wind and as I reached the first of the stone steps, the wind stopped.

A sign pointed me to the rear of the church. Just the word alone made my hands tremble. Confession. It wasn’t what I was there for, but if it meant talking to him, I would do it.

I walked past the altar and genuflected like I had been taught as a child before walking up the aisle. The number of statues along the wall caught me off guard. They were large, life-sized, and while many children were afraid of clowns, my childhood fear was these statues. I quickened my pace to get past them.

My shoes echoed on the slippery floor as I continued up the aisle, reminding me that I was alone. Up ahead was an old fashioned confessional with its dark, carved wood door open and waiting. The further I continued, the more my heart raced.

I closed the door behind me as I entered and sat in the corner of the booth, facing the kneeler and the closed screen. As the window slid open, I saw Charlie’s shadowed profile and I let out a long sigh, happy to see him.

He cleared his throat and it hit me where I was. What was I going to say? I had been so busy pushing myself to get to his church, that I didn’t have anything planned. As I opened my mouth, I was surprised by the words that came out.

“Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been...” I hesitated. “I don’t know how long it’s been.”

Charlie shifted in his seat and cleared his throat again. I couldn’t see his profile anymore, the screen was dark, but I knew he was still there. I waited to see if he would say something, but I didn’t expect him to. I knew how confession worked and I didn’t think he would recognize my voice after all this time.

“I met a man six years ago and...and I’ve never forgotten him,” I said.

A door banged and I stared with confusion at the light streaming in through the screen. He was gone. My door swung open and I jerked back to face it. Father Charles blocked the entrance.

My heart jumped in my chest and my breath grew shallow as I stared at the pale blue eyes I thought I would never see again.

“Ava,” he said, his voice husky and low.