Page 77 of Fight

“No.” I shake my head adamantly. “They’re gonna be worried about you more than anything. You’ll probably be getting casseroles brought to your door for the next two months.”

She stirs her soup. “What about you?”

“Xander, King, and I have a pretty active group chat. I texted with them after I returned from my hike. I’m sure they’re wondering why I haven’t been very chatty, but fire season is over, so it’s not like my job is waiting for me or anything. I doubt the boys have sent out a search party yet, but two days from now… who knows.”

“And us?”

I bring the mug to my mouth and drink the rest, then place it on the windowsill beside me. Scottie’s had a few bites, but she’s mostly swirling her spoon around. Her brows are creased with worry. She may not be concerned about our trek back to the trailhead, but it seems she’s got a few reservations once we return to Sky Ridge.

“What do you mean?”

“So, this continues back home too?”

I chuckle. “Yes.”

“What about Jonathan?”

“I think you’re the only one that can answer that question.”

“I can’t afford a lawyer yet,” she says. “I wish he would have just come with me in the first place.”

Grabbing behind her knees, I pull her closer. “Do you think he would fight you on the divorce?” She doesn’t need a lawyer if he’s in agreement.

She pauses for a second to consider the question. “Not if he knew how good it was on the other side. He’s just scared to take the first step. The church will pay for his attorneys, and they’ll turn hostile if he wants them to. It’s not just a divorce, if he doesn’t remarry, they’ll likely force him into conversion therapy. If he leaves, it’s exile from everything he knows.”

“Do you have assets together?”

“I’ve already forfeit everything. Our house was on the church property.”

I narrow my eyes. “Like acompound?”

“Like atown.”

That seems a tad excessive. “A church can’t own a town.”

“But they can run one. All of the businesses are owned by the church. The local government is made up of members. It’s not a huge municipality, but it’s big enough. And it’s growing.”

“Is that legal?”

“Separation of church and state only exists if there’s someone willing to enforce it. The church can legally own businesses as long as they generate incomefor the church. The town feeds the church, and the leaders profit, returning just enough money to the congregation to ensure no one has enough to leave and start a life somewhere else.”

“How could they be growing? Who would sign up for that?”

“You’re looking at it from a logical perspective. We’re talking about religion. Faith can make people do terrible things in the name of God. Throw in a charismatic leader who can pander to the public and mold their beliefs, and it's not long before they are showing up every Sunday and opening their checkbooks. Everybody wants to go to heaven.

“They’re great at recruiting with the promise of taking care of their flock, not to mention the religious guilt and constant threat of making sure our community stays pure and idyllic by severing ties with anyone who tries to make an exit.”

“How many people have tried to leave?”

“That I know personally? Just me. I’ve got no clue what Jonathan’s been going through. I feel awful, but I had to make myself disappear.”

“So you just snuck out in the middle of the night?”

Scottie shakes her head. “Jonathan knew what my plans were. He said ‘If you leave, I’ll never be able to talk to you again,’ and I told him that was a choice thathewas making, but that I’d be ready to help him whenever he was ready to go.”

I give her a long stare. “This sounds like a cult.”

She shrugs. “Fundamentalist church? I’m not ready to call ita cult yet. It makes me feel like I’ve abandoned him and everybody else there. I chose myself over others. It’s selfish.” Her voice breaks.

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