Page 95 of Sins of the Flesh
I feel Cole flinching behind me.My protective instincts flare, and I straighten my spine, meeting Charlotte's gaze with as much defiance as I can muster.But Charlotte just laughs, the sound echoing through the empty church.
"You had your chance, Caleb, and now you will reap what you sowed.Don't say I didn't warn you."She laughs and waves her fingers at us over her shoulder as she leaves the chapel.
I turn to Cole, still trembling, and pull him into my arms, rubbing his back.“It's ok, Angel.I promise I will never let her hurt you again.”I soothe.He looks up at me with tears forming in his broken, sad gaze.
“You could lose everything, Caleb.”He whispers, “Maybe we should just…” I hush him, putting my finger to his lips and staring into his gem-like eyes.
“I had a year ofeverythingwithout you, and it meant nothing.As long as I have you, I haveeverythingI need.” I kiss his lips and hold him close.No matter what, I won't let her take him from me again.
TWO DAYS LATER, I wake to the sound of banging on my front door.I pull on a T-shirt and pad to the door.“I'm coming!"I yell out to the frantic knocker.
I open the door to find Ally standing there holding a newspaper.The look on her face is sympathetic but equally horrified.
I grab the newspaper from her, and my feet are instantly nailed to the floor in terror.Charlotte did what she said she would, in spectacular fashion.
Is our Beloved St.Mary's Priest Grooming Our Children?
The headline reads, with a picture of Cole and me kissing in the hallway outside my office beneath the headline.
“Holy shit,” I breathe, running my fingers through my bedhead.Ally pushes me back, closing the front door.
“This is Charlotte, isn't it?”She asks.I nod, feeling numb.“What happened?”She asks.
“She caught me with Cole Sunday after Mass,” I say, still staring at the newspaper.
“That woman is a menace!”Ally seethes.All I can think about is how Cole must be feeling right now.My sweet Angel has been through enough.He doesn't need this kind of bullshit.
There is a knock on my door, and I immediately think it must be Cole, so I step around Ally to pull it open.Without warning, I'm tackled to the ground, my back hitting the ground with a thud as the air whooshes from my lungs.
The intruder is straddling me, punching me in the face repeatedly.I can't lift my arms to block the punches as they are pinned to the ground at my sides by the assailant's knees.“Joshua, stop!”I vaguely hear Ally scream.My son?My son is doing this to me?
“Joshua David Nichols, get off your Father now!”Ally commands firmly.Josh scrambles off of me, and I sit up with my arms braced behind me.Josh’s chest is heaving.His face red, and I can see the rage in his eyes.
“Why are you defending a cheating pedophile, Mom!?”Josh yells at Ally.She walks up to him, her 5ft stature much smaller than his 6’1 frame.Ally places her palms on Josh’s heaving chest.
“Calm down.We need to talk.Come into the living room and sit down.”Ally turns Josh by his shoulder and leads him to one of the couches in the living room.
My eyes fall to my daughter standing in front of the now closed door.Ashley’s eyes are filled with tears as she holds her hand out to help me stand up.I turn and stand, winching at the pain in my ribs as I do.
“Dad, what's going on?”She asks me, looking so small.
“Don't worry, sprite; we will get this all figured out,” I tell my daughter, using her childhood nickname, with my hand on the small of her back, I lead her to the living room and she sits on the couch next to Josh while I sit opposite them with Ally.
“Mom, why are you defendinghim?”Josh spits.
“Joshua, since when have you believed everything you read?”Ally chides.
“There's a fucking picture!”He shouts.Ashley tries to put a hand on his forearm, but he pulls his arm out of her reach.
“The only thing that proves is he kissed a man.Not a child, the article even mentions the young man is 22.”Ally says calmly.
“Mom!That still makes him a cheater!And fucking weird, how can he do that with someone his children's age!?”Josh rails.
“Guys, there's something you should know.I know it's late, but you guys haven’t been coming home for breaks, and time just got away from us.We have been divorced for over a year now.”Ally says, and our son and daughter gape at us.
“Because he cheated on you?”Josh asks venom in his tone.
“My affair started long before he did anything.He told me about what he did within two weeks of it starting.My affair started a year before that.”Ally maintains calm, relaying these facts to our children like she's giving them a grocery list.I don't know how she does it because my nerves are raw.
