Jennie got in her car and drove home. She was not sure how she even made there in one piece. Her head was spinning, and she felt numb all over. She wasn’t sure what to think about Peter. She knew that it took a great deal of courage to lay himself bare to her. It also showed that he also trusted her not to run to the cops. What kind of person did that make her? She knew that was the right thing to do according to the laws as set by our society. But was it the right thing to do before the eyes of God. She had read the Bible, and to be honest, she had read excerpts from the Bible. She knew that Hod could be vengeful, but did that justify his actions? He basically made himself the judge and executioner all rolled into one.
Prior to his confession to her, she thought that maybe he could be the one. He just seemed perfect. He was beyond handsome. He was polite, funny, and articulate, and he seemed to be genuinely interested in her. What more could you ask for? Well, I guess you ask for someone who wasn’t a mass murderer.
Jennie was truly awed by the dedication and love it took to devote his life to seeking justice for his sister. This was a person who loved unconditionally. It was apparent that there was nothing that he wouldn’t do for someone who he cared for. It was also apparent that he would sacrifice himself to save that person. Isn’t that what every woman hoped for and dreamed about finding in a man? Even if that man said he would put his life on the line for his family, how did you know if he would really do it when push came to shove? Well, with Peter, you had the proof. He had traveled to another continent to seek justice. He even spilled blood in the pursuit of it.
Jennie knew one thing, if Peter could spend over 20 years searching for those responsible for the death of his sister, he deserved more from her than a snap decision, one made without careful deliberation. She just couldn’t condemn him out of hand. This was something that she needed to sleep on. If she was going to make the right decision, she needed to be well rested and clear-headed.
When Jennie woke up in the morning, she decided to skip school. Fridays were her shortest day, so she really wouldn’t be missing that much. Besides, she could just spend a little more time hitting the books to catch up in the material she missed in the lecture. After showering and getting dressed, she decided to go to Confessional to seek advice. While it was true that she wasn’t a devote Catholic, she did attend mass on a regular basis. She knew that if she was going to make the right decision, she definitely would need to seek some divine assistance.
After stopping by a Starbucks to get a cappuccino and a blueberry muffin, Jennie drove to Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. It turns out that Father Joe, her favorite priest, was taking confessions that day. She hoped he was in rare form because she was going to set his head on fire. She steeled herself as she entered the booth.
For those who are not Catholic or have never gone to confession, there are a series of steps that those seeking absolution follow. For the readers’ edification, I have included them below.
In the Catholic Church, the steps for going to confession, also called the Sacrament of Reconciliation, are: entering the confessional, making the sign of the cross, saying “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned,” confessing your sins to the priest, listening to the priest’s penance, receiving absolution (forgiveness) from the priest, and concluding with a prayer of thanksgiving; essentially, preparing yourself with remorse for your sins, confessing them honestly, receiving penance, and then being absolved by the priest.
In Jennie’s case, she actually wasn’t actually serving absolution, but advice. Father Joe, being a very empathetic individual, did not question her when she stated the purpose of her visit. He simply said, “How may I be of assistance, my child?”
When Jennie finished telling her story, Father Joe was silent for a while as he contemplated on how to advise her. After careful deliberation, he gave his reply. “My Child, I am afraid that the answers you seek are beyond my meager abilities. With your permission I will need to confer with my senior colleagues. This is a very difficult matter, and the ramifications could be quite severe. If the wrong advice is given, your very soul is in jeopardy. Is the young man in question a Catholic?”
Jennie answered, “I am not sure, Father.”
Father Joe replied, “I am sure you are aware that his soul is in jeopardy as well. I would definitely like to talk to him in person before a final answer is given.
Jennie added, “I could talk to him about the matter.”
Father Joe ended by saying, “Please do, when you have an answer, you can contact me any time so we can set up a conference. Please let him know that he is protected by law under the priest-penitent privilege.”
When Jennie left the cathedral, she was not sure what to think. She must have known that there was not going to be a simple answer or solution to her problem. One thing was certain, if Peter refused to meet with the priests, she was going to end the relationship. She wasn’t going to jeopardize her soul for anyone. She may not be the most devote Catholic, but she did believe in God.
When she got back home, Jennie texted Peter, saying that she needed to talk to him in person. He promptly texted back asking when and where?
She texted back, saying at the usual place.
He replied back Ok.
They both arrived within minutes of each other. They quietly sat down across from each other, doing so without any kiss or hug being exchanged.
Peter waited patiently for Jennie to start the ball rolling. Jennie sat quietly for a moment or two as she obviously struggled to form her thoughts. Finally, she started, “Peter, I have never told you this, I am Catholic. Secondly, I am sure that you are aware that you have put me in a very difficult situation. I frankly did not know where to turn for advice. I knew that I had to protect you, so I was limited as to who I could seek help from. Therefore, my only real option was confession.”
Unfortunately, Jennie added, “My priest Father Joe was in over his head. He is requesting my permission to get his superiors involved. He also wants to talk to you, Peter. He asked if you were Catholic. I told Father Joe that I did not know if you were or not. It seems that regardless of your religious affiliation, he still wants yo to be involved. Well, that is what I wanted to talk to you about. What do you think?”
Peter looked at her long and hard for a while. He replied in a slow and measured tone. “Jennie, I think you know that I care a great deal for you, I also respect your religious beliefs. So even though I don’t have the same feelings as you, I will honor your wishes and therefore I will go with you to see your priests.”
Peter then asked, “When do you want to go?”
Jennie let out a sigh of relief and replied, “Tomorrow morning at 10 am at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.” With that, she stood up and leaned forward and gave him a gentle and tender kiss on the lips and said, “I will see you tomorrow.”
For the first time since their conversation yesterday, Peter was hopeful, as he watched walk out the door of their favorite coffee shop.
Peter slept fitfully that night. When he woke up in the morning, he felt like he had been run over by a bus. Ad he rolled over in bed and looked at the clock, he gasped at the time. The clock read 9:00 am. He jumped and sprinted to the bathroom, stripping as he entered the shower. He stayed in only long enough to feel human. He then jumped out and toweled himself off while brushing his teeth. He toweled off his hair and gargled with his mouthwash, multitasking as best he could.
Shit, he forgot to call his Uber, so Peter ran out to his cell only wrapped in his towel. Luckily, there was a driver close by, so the eta of the driver was just 10 minutes. He raced back to his closet and grabbed the first outfit he saw. It would have to do. After he finished dressing, he did a quick glance in the mirror and said to himself, “Not too bad.”
The Uber driver pulled up just as Peter walked the front door of the hotel. Dumb luck was certainly better than no luck thought Peter as he entered the Uber. They arrived at the Cathedral with five minutes to spare. As his driver pulled away on route to another fare, Jennie pulled up in her sports car. She waved and smiled at him as she pulled into a parking space. Peter waited for her at the front door of the rectory, which housed all of the offices of the administrators and the priests. They entered the building holding hands in a sign of solidarity.