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She nods, a tear slipping down her cheek.
I catch it with my hand and she flinches, but I press my palm to her face. My soft touches make her flinch, yet she doesn’t bend or break when I inflict pain. Interesting.
I wonder about what she just said to me. Did I inadvertently cause a child to come to harm?
“You are a good person, Diana,” I assure her. “That is why I am keeping you here, washing away the stain of all the sin so that goodness can shine.”
I stand up, placing the bag of cosmetics on the bed next to her. “Thank you for trusting me with this information.”
“What will you do?” she asks me.
“Make it right.” I cannot undo what has already been done, but I can change the course of the future.
But first, I have to get the hot sauce from the cupboard. After all, my dove did curse, and I cannot be lenient on her.
Chapter Twelve
Thomas
I LEAVE DIANA some water — I do not need her throat damaged because she accidentally inhaled the hot sauce when I only meant to drizzle it on her tongue — and ensure she is locked in before I go to the rectory attached to our church, where Father Oliver and his wife spend most of their days.
Mother Catherine lets me in, her reddish curls bouncing as always. She is our success story for rescuing spouses; so different from the junkie Oliver told us about.
Oliver, an albino man with dignified white hair in a ponytail, is about ten years older than I, but he seems much more worldly than I could ever dream of being. He sits at a chair in his office, writing. No doubt for his sermon or the church’s blog.
“Brother Thomas, what brings you here this evening?” he asks me in his pleasant, lilting Irish accent. “Did everything go smoothly at Diana’s apartment?”
I shake my head. “Not … exactly. Do you have time to converse, Father?”
He nods. “Of course, I always have time for my fellows within the church. We are here as a family, after all.”
Catherine asks, “Can I bring you anything?”
“No, dear. If we need something, we will tell you,” Oliver says.
“Mother,” I interject, “I was wondering if you and Sister Lisa could organize some ladies to go and get Diana’s thingspacked within the next week? Anything suitable, we can donate to the women’s shelter.”
She nods, eyes alight. “What a lovely idea.”
“Also … she has a pile of ratty books. Can someone take down the authors and titles for me?”
Once more, her curls bounce as she nods. “Of course, Brother Thomas. She is quite lucky to have you, isn’t she?”
I smile. “And once I am done working with her soul, we will be lucky to have her, too.” I wait for Catherine to leave before I speak. I am sure what she did as an addict, nothing would shock her, but I wish to spare her the details of what Diana told me.
“So, Brother, what is it you need? You look troubled,” Oliver says.
“Diana’s landlord may have harmed a child the night after I brought Diana here,” I admit. “Because I took her, that may be partially my fault.”
Oliver regards me carefully. “We cannot stop things set in motion, you know this. I wouldn’t be so hasty as to blame yourself.”
I nod. “I realize that, but I am but human, Father. I wish to assuage my guilt.”
“We will help you as we can. What did you require?”
“Brother Joseph, whom you said helped change Catherine’s information to keep her safe, I’d like him to assign that building to me. I will own it from now on.”
Oliver nods. “I trust you will ensure the current landowner will not put up a struggle?”
