Eighteen
ANNA LEAVES ME TO FINISH my hot cocoa. I look at the time. My little meeting with Olivia Reynolds burned an entire hour of homily preparation. I try to relax and focus on the texts in front of me. After about fifteen minutes of this, ideas and themes are beginning to form in my head.
I am beginning to type up some possible bullet points when I hear Anna say, “Wait, I need to see if he’s available.” Before she can say anything else, the door bursts open and Nate rushes in.
“Father,” he says, without preamble, “you’ve got to help me save Gladys! They’re saying she murdered that Chad guy! And you know Gladys, she’s wonderful. She’d never hurt anyone.”
Oh, Lord, I think to myself. He’s got it bad.
Aloud, I say, “Nate, try to calm down. Why don’t you take a seat and tell me what y
