Page 10 of Thots and Prayers

“This is...” Fuck, what were the names Kansas had given us?

Eisley stepped forward, extending her hand. “I’m Domino.”

The man didn’t take it. Instead, he gave her a look of disgust.

“She is one of my traveling companions,” I explained, my stomach twisting with the lie. Companion? More like wife, partner, love of my life, part of my soul, the breath I breathed. My everything.

My... companion.

The man nodded. “You and that other man. Who is he, then?” he asked me, not Eisley.

Quick, what were the other names?

“Koi?” I recalled. “Koi is my other companion.”

“They sinners?”

Sinners? What fucking year was this?

“That’s why they’re traveling with you.” He nodded answering his own question. “You are ministering them to save them from their evil ways.”

The anger inside no longer could be pushed down. My vision went red and my body grew warm with rage. I stepped forward, my fists clenched, when Eisley stepped in front of me.

“Yes, although I’d rather not say it like that. Father Duvall found Koi and then they both found me. We are just trying to repair our lives.” She stepped to my side, putting her hand on my elbow. “Father has been so kind, helping with shelter, food, clothing, and teaching us about god.”

The man stared at her hand where it touched me, and she dropped it.

“Have you accepted Jesus into your heart yet?”

“I—” Eisley’s words caught in her throat. She couldn’t say it. I understood fully. Some lies were easier than others. Could she claim that she believed in this bullshit? Her having come to bat for me, I took my turn, clearing my throat and pushing her hand away gently.

“Domino is still working through her spiritual journey. I think them working with me in the church during our brief stay here will be exactly what they both need to finally accept Jesus Christ as their saviors.”

“Sinner,” the man snarled.

“You will respect them as you respect me,” I said with an authority that wasn’t mine. A chill went down my spine as the flash of a memory appeared in my mind. My father, standing in the front of his own chapel, making demands of his flock.

“Yes, Father.” The man bowed.

“Mass will be at seven,” I said and waved him off. He fled immediately, and once he was gone, I turned to Eisley. “Are you all right?”

She nodded, taking a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m fine. Did I just become your... sidekick?”

I blinked, recalling what I’d said, and chuckled. “I guess, yeah. Both of you. Since that’s the case, I’ll need him here for mass. You want to go call him?” I leaned forward to kiss her and pulled back. Even if I didn’t see it, there was a chance someone was watching.

“Where are you going?” she asked as I started away, taking the steps behind the platform.

“I have to go prepare,” I said cryptically. I walked down the halls to the former priest’s office and closed the door behind me. He kept it simple in here, with a desk, chair, and a row of filing cabinets along the wall. I opened one, finding well-organized folders full of sermons for mass. I randomly pulled one out, sat at the desk, leaned back with my feet up, and pulled out my phone to browse the web.

Having no clue where else to start, I typed into the search bar:

How to perform a Catholic mass.

RULE 6 - KANSAS

KEEP TO THE BACK.

“He kept calling me a sinner. I wanted to backhand him.” Eisley fumed as we walked to the church. She’d popped back into the motel just as I was waking up from my nap.

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