Flawed Creatures

Nothing Important Is Happening Today -34B-

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR (Part B)

With Friday being two days away Cara intended to go by Rafe's after school tomorrow in order to restock her trunk since she was running low on her novel weed. With a couple fraternities to visit the coming weekend she would need more than the novel and a half worth that remained.

Having just finished up a house call with a client hosting a middle of the week boisterous party, Cara drove out the residential area and onto a main street. Radio station returning from a commercial break a soothing, deep voice introduced the song set to play next, which caused Cara to groan. It was their song. Out of all the songs in the world why oh why had the deep voiced dude decided to play that particular track? Instead of switching stations she just turned the radio off.

Mouth feeling barren, Cara reached for the pack of cigarettes once stopped at a red light. She was about to pull one out when she caught sight of the majestic church up ahead. It wasn't the one she used to frequent with Kirk and his family, yet she had driven by it quite a few times. Watch checked she wondered if they were still open. Though she spotted lights within that didn't mean the door was unlocked.

Only one way to find out.

A solitary vehicle in the parking lot, she pulled in next to it. Cigarette pack returned to the passenger seat she got out the car and walked toward the building, taking a flight of stairs two at a time. Met by large double doors she tried the knob on the right, pleased when it turned underneath her hand. The pleasant scent of the four flower arrangements around the foyer reached Cara the moment she walked inside. Noticing another set of double doors she was about to push through the one on the right when the left door was pushed from the other side.

A young man dressed in grey slacks with a navy dress shirt neatly tucked into them offered her a kind smile. "Good evening."

"Hello." She glanced toward the large ring of keys he held. "Oh, were you about to lock up?" She apologized and turned toward the other set of doors. "I'll come back another time."

"I should have locked the doors over an hour ago, but I was busy studying in the office and forgot all about it until a few minutes ago. However, please don't leave. Maybe I was meant to forget so you could enter." His smile returned and that time Cara smiled back.

"Thank you...pastor?"

He chuckled. "As good as it sounds to be called that, no. I'm what I call a P.I.T.--pastor in training. That's why I was studying. I'm in seminary school and this is my dad's church." Transferring the keys to his left hand he held out his right. "I'm Will, by the way."

"My name's Cara." Palm pressed to his they shared a hearty shake.

"Lovely to meet you, Cara. It's chilly out there. Might I offer you a cup of hot chocolate?" Though they were the only people within the church he made a show of searching the foyer before conspiratorially whispering, "I'll share my secret stash of marshmallows with you."

Though she laughed Cara declined both the marshmallows and hot beverage. "Thank you for your hospitality, Will, but I'm gonna get outta here so you can lock up."

"Cara?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Sir is my dad. I'm only twenty-five, so please don't rush me to sir status." He winked and she laughed again.

"All right. Yes, Will?"

"I assume you had a reason for visiting church this Wednesday evening so what was it?"

Cara bounced from one foot to the other while giving the inquiry thought. She hadn't been sure why she chose to visit the church. It just suddenly seemed like a decent idea. As the pastor in training patiently awaited a response it occurred to her why. "I wanted to talk to God." She expelled a loud breath. "Which is silly 'cause though I haven't been to church in a long time I do know you don't have to be within a church in order to talk to him."