Page 58 of Hunt for You

God, he couldn’t read thoughts, could he? Did God do that? Tell His people what others were thinking?

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” I said quickly, licking my lips quickly—not missing when his eyes cut down to watch that, then he forced them back up to meet mine. “It’s just that he’s not at the house, so I thought he might be here.”

“He is,” the guy said, then looked over his shoulder, then back to me. “Why don’t we just… why don’t you sit down here at the back?” He opened one of those muscular arms towards the nearest pew, which was empty.

I frowned. “I don’t mean to make you go get him. You’re obviously busy. If you could just tell me—”

“No... look, I’m sorry, I’ve been thoughtless,” he said, running a thick, calloused hand through his hair in a way that made my mouth go dry. “I’m not at my best and you took me by surprise. I apologize—let’s start again. What’s your name?”

“I’m Bridget. I’m one of his old students from years ago. I came by last week. He might have mentioned me—”

“Bridget, sorry to interrupt you, but… I really need you to sit down.”

I stared at him as he kept that arm open towards the pew, but used his other hand to gently cup my elbow and usher me towards the seat.

The first flicker of real unease began in my chest as I plonked myself down on the edge of the pew, staring at him.

“Okay,” I said. “I’m sitting down. What? What’s going on? Where’s Richard?” I kept my voice to a low hush, but my tone was snappish.

The young priest knelt down at the end of the pew, just like he had for those ladies deeper in the church, and his forehead furrowed.

“Bridget, I’m really sorry to have to be the one to tell you… but Richard had a heart attack a few days ago. He’s… he’s the reason we’re gathering here today.”

21. No Good Surprises

~ BRIDGET ~

“I’m sorry… what?” My voice came out squeaky with shock. I was difficult to surprise, but if he was saying—

“Richard… he was almost eighty. He had some heart issues. He hadn’t been feeling well for a while. It’s why he was retiring. I’m sorry to be the one to have to tell you, but it’s been a shock for everyone. They asked me to come cover until they could find someone to shepherd here permanently. I didn’t meet him, so… I am hearing such wonderful stories, though. You said he was your high school chaplain?”

I nodded dumbly, strange things happening in my chest. Awkward, difficult feelings that I was struggling to put words to.

Disbelief.

Unease.

A strangling kind of fear.

Rage?

It made no sense. Except for our meeting last week, I hadn’t talked to Richard for years, and even with the correspondence we kept up, he hadn’t really been a part of my daily life since I was seventeen years old.

I felt sad that he’d died. I hoped he hadn’t been in pain for long. I hoped his heart didn’t…

His heart.

Right.

That uncomfortable squeeze in my chest got tighter.

“...didn’t have the chance to check his schedule and warn you. This all happened really fast and they called me in because they haven’t found his replacement yet…”

I realized this man had been talking the whole time, while I was off in lala land and I put a hand up to stop his babbling.

“I’m sorry, I kind of tuned out there. What’s your name again?”

He looked down with a wry smile, shaking his head. “No,I’msorry. This isn’t my usual, uh, audience. My name’s Sam. And your shock is understandable.”

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