“You’re welcome,” Dell replied. “All right, looks like we’re here.” Dell pulled up to the front of the church and shifted into park. “You sure you don’t want me to come inside with you?”
“I single-handedly defeated the army of evil from marching across the earth,” Sarah answered. “I think I can return a bible without your help. And besides, you’ve done enough.” And it was true. Not only had Dell taken care of her medical bills, he’d also offered to drive her back to New York and help testify against Brent’s cronies and the legal aftermath of everything that occurred in Bell. And while everything was looking good, Sarah had learned to not trust that little sinking feeling in the back of her head that insisted on complacency. There was still work to be done.
“We’re in this together, Sarah,” Dell said. “And I mean that. No matter what happens, I have your back.”
If her innards still weren’t burning with pain, Sarah would have taken him right then in the driver seat. She’d nearly done it in the hospital, but she still wasn’t fully healed, and a part of her told her to take her time with Dell. Because for the first time in her life, she didn’t feel like she had to rush things. She knew that he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Be back in a sec.”
Sarah heaved herself out of the car and denied Dell’s attempts to at least help her to the door. She needed to do it herself, and she needed to get back into the habit of normality. So, despite the pain, Sarah shuffled her way up toward the church’s big double doors and heaved her weight behind one of them as she pushed it open.
Panting and red in the face, Sarah step-shuffled down the center aisle, again finding the pews empty as she did on her first visit to the church. She kept her gaze focused on the statue of Jesus on the cross. For some reason, he looked different than the last time she was here, but she couldn’t exactly put her finger on it.
“Can I help you, miss?”
Sarah turned to her right and found an older gentleman dressed in a priest’s uniform. He had thinning white hair that was trimmed short and neat, with round glasses that complimented his plump and red cheeks.
“Yes, I wanted to return this bible.” Sarah fished it out of her pack, and the priest moved closer to grab it, but Sarah wouldn’t give it to him. “I was actually hoping to return it to the guy who gave it to me.”
“Oh, and who might that be?” the priest asked.
“The other holy guy that works here.”
The old priest smiled and shook his head. “Well, I’m the only priest at this church, and I’m sorry, but you don’t look familiar.”
Sarah frowned. “You’re the only priest that works here?” She looked around the empty church. “So, you didn’t have anybody else, like, covering a shift for you last week?”
“No, I’m sorry, I’m stationed here seven days a week. Perhaps you received that bible from another church?”
Sarah stared down at the bible and ran her fingers over the gold lettering, and then looked back up to Jesus on the cross. The disbelief spread across her face but quickly transformed into a smile as she looked back at the old priest. “Actually, Father, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to hang onto this for a little while longer.”
“Of course, my child. Is there anything else I can do for you? Perhaps hear your confession?”
Sarah tucked the bible back into her bag. “No, thank you.”
“Well, have a blessed day.”
“You too.”
The priest stepped away, and Sarah looked back up at Jesus. A ray of sunlight penetrated the stained-glass windows high on the walls, and Sarah couldn’t wipe the smile of disbelief off her face. She slung her backpack over her shoulders again and headed out the doors, knowing that tomorrow would come and that she’d be able to handle whatever life threw at her.
