Page 49 of Driftwood Daffodil

“I’m sorry,” I reached out to sweep the lettuce off her head. “I didn’t see you there.”

“It’s okay,” She picked a piece of ham off her cheek and held it out like it was covered in the plague. “Accidents happen.”

Was it an accident though? I kind of wanted to do it again. There was something about this girl… she was almost too proper. Her part was completely straight without a hair out of place, not even under the black headband that was centered on the top of her head.

The uniform she was wearing didn’t have a single wrinkle, and her Maryjane shoes were clean and shiny. Even her white knee high socks were spotless, aside from a few pieces of sandwich that is.

I stood there, watching her brush her clothes clean and tipped my head. This girl seemed well put together. Why was she in here?

“Are you hiding from assholes too?”

Her bright blue eyes snapped up to mine, “You shouldn’t cuss in the house of the Lord.”

“Uh huh?” House of the Lord? Did Maw Maw have a secret grandchild I didn’t know about?

“This is a sanctuary of worship and righteousness, that shouldn’t be tainted by foul language.”

Where had I heard that before, oh right Maw Maw. She was a big fan of the no cussing lifestyle too. I wondered if this girl would be as easy to change the subject with as Maw Maw.

Only one way to find out.

I held out my hand, “I’m Nova by the way.”

If I had a secret cousin I may as well get to know her. Besides, it wasn't like I had many friends here, so I couldn’t be too picky. Who was I going to get drunk at parties with when Memphis was busy with Chuck?

She gave my hand a firm shake. “Sutton Alice Barlow.”

Her full name, okay, so maybe I wouldn’t be getting drunk with her. She did seem nice though.

“Did you come to pray too?”

She came in here to pray? On a weekday, in the afternoon? Who was this girl? Seriously. Maw Maw was the only person I knew who did stuff like that. Or who referred to chapels as houses of the Lord.

The secret grandchild theory was starting to become less of a theory and more of a fact. She looked nothing like Maw Maw, but still…

“Um… No? it’s more of a hiding thing.”

“Oh,” she seemed oddly disappointed.

“Is that why you’re here?” Why did I ask that? I didn’t care, nor did I want to get pulled into a religious conversation. However, it was still a conversation, and beggars couldn’t be choosers.

“Yes” Her gaze narrowed. “You can make fun of me now.”

My heart went out to her. Obviously this girl had some experience being picked on. I could relate to that.

I stepped into the pew and sat down beside her. “Why would I make fun of you?”

Sure she was proper, and maybe a little stuck up, but she hadn’t been mean. That was more than I could say for anyone else in this place.

Sutton sighed and lifted her gaze to a large crucifix on the wall behind an altar, “Some people think I take my relationship with God too seriously.”

“At least you have a relationship,” I snickered. “The last one I had ended because he…”

I choked back the words, ‘got his dick sucked’ – pretty sure Miss. House of the Lord wouldn’t like hearing that – and turned my stare to the same spot Sutton was looking.

It was a nice crucifix. Silver with some extra attention to detail, like the thorns in the crown on his head, and wrinkles in the cloth around his waist. They could’ve done more with his eyes though. That shit looked painful, not peaceful.

Why did churches always do that? Everyone knew the story of Jesus and what happened to him. One would think a tear rolling down his cheek or grimace on his face would be a little more believable.

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