Lighting their candles within the small reliquary, the girls knelt upon the hard bench, heads bowed before the Madonna high above them. Sophia prayed with fervency; surely, on this day of all, the Lord would hear her prayers for her father, would deliver upon him the redemption he so desperately needed. She heard a sniffle from her left. Lia’s entreaties had turned to tears.
Sophia stood and took her hand, pulling Lia up. “Come, God has heard us by now, I’m sure,” she said. “Would you like some pastries?”
Lia nodded silently and Oriana stood with them, allowing their elder sibling to lead them from the murky confines of the church.
They opened the door, and the refrains of music and voices crept in to meet them, and dispel the reverent aura. As soon as they stepped through the egress, t
