Page 123 of Made for Cyn
“Come, please. We were about to have a round table,” she says, turning to me with a sweet smile. “I’m Joy, by the way.”
“Rain,” I mutter, shifting uneasily. Can she see me in her? Does she know that she’s a step away from the same downfall? Fuck me.
Following behind her, I glance at Iris questioningly, and she smiles sourly, saying, “Hey, we could use a little god in our lives right now.”
Suppressing a hysterical chuckle, I join her on the couch and hold back a snicker because Iris sticks out like a sore thumb where I quasi-fit in with these kids. Although they’re trying to be welcoming, I can feel their unease as they stare at her with wide eyes because it practically radiates from them in waves.
Truthfully, I’m a little bewildered by the entire thing. I mean, who has a prayer group or whatever this is at eleven o’clock at night? Is this their attempt to be wild? Or maybe to appeal to the lost they’re hoping to bring back to the fold.
“What did you tell Cyn?” she asks as everyone settles around us.
“Nothing, he was gone when I woke.”
“Do you have your phone on you?”
“Yeah, but it’s off.”
“Turn it back on. The last thing we need is him looking for you on a night like tonight,” she says sharply.
Eyeing her dubiously, I comply, sucking in a breath when immediately the phone buzzes in my hand.
Cyn: Beauty, where are you?
Cyn: Why is your phone off?
Cyn: I told you…and you didn’t listen. You’d better not be with that fucker
Cyn: Beauty . . . fuck
I type out a response with trembling fingers, lying through my teeth because I don’t know what else to do.
Rain: I’m fine, sorry my phone died
He wastes no time tapping out a reply, and it’s short and sweet.
Cyn: Where are you?
Rain: A party, but Saul’s not here. It’s fine
Cyn: Where?
“Okay, let’s start with a little prayer,” Joy says across the way, looking at me and my phone pointedly.
Smiling weakly, I type out a text and drop the phone before taking the boy’s hands beside me as Iris grabs mine. With a shaky breath, I clench my jaw because Iris is right. I could definitely use a little god right about now. I just hope he or she hears my prayers.
Rain: I’m at a prayer group
The phone buzzes several more times, but I resist the urge to check it while Joy and her friends go through a series of prayers and scripture while I listen numbly.
The irony isn’t lost on me. I’m praying while my uncle is being erased from the earth, and I’ll be lucky if something doesn’t strike me dead for my arrogance.
“Iris, Rain, do you have any questions or anything you’d like to share?”
My phone buzzes again, and I jump, bringing all eyes toward me, as I say quietly. “Um, no thanks.”
I’m achingly familiar with the scriptures because of Prophet Jim’s daily sermons, and although this is a lot less intense, it’s still not something I’m comfortable with.
Joy looks to Iris, who squirms before whispering, “Do you think there’s redemption for anyone?”