T
ess removed the pillowcase draped over the painting of Christ and stared up at the depiction—his eyes cast toward the heavens, looking solemn and pensive. She wondered if she’d ever be able to understand why the concept of religion made her so uncomfortable. Maybe it was because her mother never took her to church. Religion was never discussed, God never considered. Or maybe it was because she had been stricken with meningitis—what kind of god would allow a child to bear that burden?
She made the bed, folded her sweater and a few extra shirts that Cap had picked up for her in town, and placed them in a brown shopping bag. She opened the bottom drawer of the dresser and returned the Bible to its spot on the top of the wood dresser.
She gazed around the rectory bedroom and made sure it
