Page 30 of Priestly Sins

Seventeen

Confessions the next day surprise me.

For starters, Zera Calabrese is back. She talks like we’re old friends after we get the formalities out of the way. She’s a regular, every other week. She generally mentions the same things: lying, cheating, manipulating.

“Zera, usually absolution comes with the commitment to repent from those ways and change your course.”

“I know.”

“But…”

“But divorce isn’t an option and having a baby with him isn’t either, so…” She leaves the sentence unfinished, but we both know the answer. She can’t leave. Won’t leave and she’s right about bringing a baby into his world.

“Wish I could give you a better alternative.”

We finish up with our prayers and she leaves. I’ll see her again in two weeks, and again, nothing will have changed.

“Forgive me, Father,”

Henry!

“Hey, Henry. What’s up?”

“Do the official thing, yeah?”

“When was your last confession?”

“I don’t know. It was here. Couple months ago, maybe.”

“And what are your sins?”

“Okay, so we needed the money and I didn’t quit school or anything, but I’m working and the dude ain’t right, but I don’t think I can get out of it.”

“Okay.”

“And the money’s good. Evie deserves a good life and so does Ma, but what if I have to tell you stuff you won’t approve of?”

“Henry, I hear messed-up stuff all the time and I don’t judge. I don’t want it for you, but I won’t judge you either. You know I’m here for you, right?”

“Yeah.”

“What happened the other night?”

“Yeah, so I don’t want to get into that, but I appreciate you would be willing to come get me.”

“Willing? I went there, check in hand for your bail.”

“What?”

“Yeah. NOPD called and said you were arrested, and I went down there to bail you out.”

“They detained me in the back of the cop car, but after a while, they released me. Fucking pigs. Sorry, didn’t mean to say ‘fuck,’ Father.”

So, he was never at Rampart. Fuck! Someone is messing with me.

“How’d they know to call me?”

“They asked for my next of kin, and I don’t trust them with Ma’s name, so I told them you.”