CORY POV
An eerie sensation envelopes me when the words, "Good morning, Fathers," are spoken. It's accompanied by a sense of familiarity, like I've heard that voice before.
I turn my head in the direction of where the voice came from. It's a housekeeper, dressed in the uniform with her black hair sleeked into a very neat ponytail. She smiles, her gaze fixed solely on me and her grey eyes glint in an unusual way. It's as if she's silently communicating with me that she's up to no good and that's the moment I recognize her.
She resembles nothing like the girl I met last night. Her makeover gives her a mien so innocent one would never mistaken her for someone indecent, despite how the housekeepers' uniform hugs her body and reveals how shapely she is.
Not only that: her beauty radiates, outshining the light in the hallway.
It's hard for me to comprehend how someone with such delicate and magnificent features in a natural state, giving off innocence acceptable unto the Lord can belong to the devious person I met last night.
Seeing her here in the parish house makes me wonder what she's up to. Did she really go through the lengths of looking for me just so she gets what I distinctly said I didn't want to give?
"What are you doing here?" I ask, a frown etched on my face, at the same time Father Perry says, "Good morning, dear one."
We both look at each other and he stares at me, confusion written all over his dark-brown face. I keep my demeanor as impassively as possible, hoping he doesn't voice out his concern with why I was so bitter to the housekeeper.
"What's with you father Cory...?"
I'm saved by a woman saying, "There you are, Father Perry," as we both take that cue to turn to look behind us.
"Oh, yes," Father Perry says once he sees the nun. He glances at me. "Please excuse me," he says and takes off with the nun immediately.
"So?" says the young woman behind me, her voice dragging.
I turn to face her.
"Father Cory and You're a priest." Her innocent smile turns smug and the mischief in her eyes only glints more. It only makes me more curious what she's up to.
"What are you doing here?"
Her smug look only enhances when she grins like she's just had a victory. "Isn't it obvious?" She eyes me from head to toe. "I want you, pretty boy."
I frown. "You know that's not possible."
"Oh, darling," she says, placing her hands on her chest, feigning hurt, "you break my heart acting like you don't feel the same way I do about you."
"I'm pretty sure we don't have mutual feelings for each other."
She blinks and pouts. "Oh, but we do," she whines like a little child. She chuckles and then says in a normal,
"You're just too scared to admit it because you're supposed to be a priest." She steps forward, sighs, and places her hand on my chest. "But I understand." Her hands move up and down my torso. "And I can protect your secret." She looks up at me and blinks again, her innocent look appearing.
"What secret?"
She puts her hands around my neck. "Why, of course the way you spent last night."
"And how did I spend last night?"
"Like I said: it's a secret." She winks at me and giggles before removing her hands around my neck.
"Look, lady—"
"Tsk, tsk," she says, tapping my chest. "Ivory, love. It's Ivory." She scoffs. "I'm surprised you forgot my name. Well"—her frown disappears—"at least you didn't forget my face."
"Ivory, I don't know what game you're playing but it's not going to work. I'm a priest. And you're defiling the House of God by demonstrating your sinful ways in it."
She cackles and holds her stomach, the same way she did when I told her I wasn't interested last night. "First of all, this is just the parish house. Secondly, a sinner is calling another sinner out?" She laughs again. "That's just not right, you know."
"What are you talking about? I've done nothing to offend my Heavenly Father."
"Oh, yeah. Keep telling yourself that. When the pope calls to question you, be sure to lie to him about your secrets." She winks at me.
"I have no secrets!" What on Earth is wrong with this woman? Is she on something? Or is she still high from partying last night? "What is wrong with you? Are you high or something?"
"High? No. Something? Maybe. It all depends on if you play ball or not."
"Miss, can you please be clear with your words? I don't understand a thing you're saying. What secret do you think I have 'cause I can assure you that I don't have one?"
"Well"—she steps closer to me—"if you have one night with me—just one night—I won't let your seniors know you goes clubbing in secrets"
I stare at her in disbelief. She has to be joking, right? "That's preposterous! No one will believe you. I'm sure there are enough witnesses to testify to that."
She's smug. "I'm sure there will be. By the time I've shown them a photo of you at the club, then we'll see if they believe me. And just in case you do not know, my father has connections and knows exactly how to handle such a minor issue as this. You won't get away with it, Father Cory. You certainly will lose your priesthood if you don't consider my offer." She smiles innocently before stepping away and entering Father Lane's office.
I stare at the door, wondering what just happened now. That girl! How dare she? Blackmailing me like that? Who does she think she is? That I can dance to her music and do whatsoever to please her?
Yes, the thought of losing my priesthood is a temptation I'd like to fall into but not at the expense of my reputation.
I would become the talk of the town and no one will respect me.
If there's some other legal and righteous way to stop being a priest I would gladly take it, but not like this. Not only will it break my mother's heart, she could die from such news due to her delicate condition. I can't put her through that. It will be too much for her.
I walk away in the opposite direction of where I first entered the hallway. I have to find a way to get rid of this Ivory girl. I shake my head at that thought. Now, she's going to make me start thinking evil simply because I want her out of my life, which I never invited her into. I wish I can give her what she's asking from me but I can't.
I won't.
Maybe I'll go to jail if I don't. Maybe my mother will get worse once the word is out.
But at least, I'll have a clear conscious that I never did anything to hurt that lady, physically.
Perhaps emotionally I did but it shouldn't be important.
She shouldn't be so cross with me simply because I refused her.
That was the polite thing to do so she won't get the idea that I'm willing to spend time with the likes of her.
I run my hand through my long brown hair, messing up my already-combed hair. Dealing with this girl will be very difficult. I just hope I don't go against my morals while trying to stay off her grid.