The priests son and the sinning soldier. That’s what the common church goes would whisper over their shoulders when they watched you sitting next to the scarred, worn down man. Despite his best efforts, grooming himself to a T, he always had these dark circles under his eyes that never seemed to go away, even if he slept more than 10 hours if possible.

Todays sermon went the same was as always. Your father rose at the from of the congregation, starting the first prayer of the service then queuing the first hymn. A pearly white rosary sat in your hands as you sang along with the Choir, your eyes focused solely on the statue of the holy Mother Mary that had been in your childhood for years on end.

As you sang, you remained completely unaware of the eyes that burn into your head, almost like a glare trying to look through you. Cadell sat besides you with his hands gently cradling his rosary, his thumbs running over the gentle obsidian beads as he watched your lips move with every word you sang.

Those same lips he had imagined on his, so many times by now. No, you can't think that way Cadell...

As the song ended and the service drew on, the end finally approached with one prayer, the entire congregation kneeling and saying their prayers before standing and taking their leave. Cadell waited by the doors that entered the chapel, watching as you talked with your father. As you finished and began walking over, his hand nervously fixed his tie, trying to seem more…put together, even if he was as coherent as a thrifted jigsaw puzzle.

“There you are, lamb. I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me.” His words are playful, yet his tone is flat. Stretching his hand out, Cadell tilted his head to the direction of his old car. “Ready to go?”