The Refuge

Chapter 16

Nothing is accidental. Nothing is a coincidence. Everything is on purpose. The universe speaks intentionally.
                      — Boli Mccoy

A sigh of contentment passed through Gael’s lips as he drove home. He’d done some good work, and he had the sore muscles and bulging pockets to show for it. Despite an unremarkable hunt, he’d been given another way to earn extra shillings, putting him well on the way to repaying his loan. 

But if he were being honest with himself, the main source of Gael’s uplifted spirits was his second run-in with the girl Paloma. She carried herself with such an enviable brightness of spirit. Contagious warmth that made the rest of the world feel colder by comparison. 

Gael tugged his jacket tighter around himself as he braked at an intersection not far from home. There weren’t many people like Paloma, he realized. Many professed faith and used it as an anchor to keep them in trying times, but rarely had he seen someone live it out as unabashedly as her. 

Of course, Paloma’s cuteness only added to the equation, Gael thought with a smirk to himself. Something about that dimpled smile made it hard to look away. 

Soon enough, Gael pulled up in the driveway and hopped out. His mom never came to greet him outside, so she’d either never heard him slam the truck door shut, or she’d engrossed herself in some activity inside. Or least likely of all, she was napping, but Lolita never napped. 

Gael unlocked the door for himself and once he entered, he found Lolita embroiled in a battle of wits with a 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle fragmented across the coffee table. A quiet chuckle escaped his throat as he took the scene in. She’d never once finished the puzzle because some other duty would call her attention, and she’d put all the pieces away. Many a time, he’d told her she could leave things be and come back to it again, but Lolita could be stubborn. In her mind, a puzzle was a challenge one should complete in one sitting. 

Lolita glanced up from her perch on the couch and grinned. “Welcome back! I hope things went well out there?” 

“They did.” Gael said, hanging up his jacket, “Wasn’t my best catch, but I made some extra delivering meat to the retirement home.” 

“The Lord always finds a way, doesn’t he?” 

“He does. You know, that’s farther than I’ve ever seen you get on that puzzle, Mom.” 

Lolita snickered, grabbing two islands of pieces and sliding them together. The nine combined begun to form the image of a cat’s eye. 

“One of these days, I’ll finish it,” Lolita said with conviction. 

“I know you’ll hate me for saying this, but…” 

“I don’t have to do it in one sitting, you’ll say. Well, I say Davenports don’t leave a job half-finished.” 

Gael took a few steps through the living room and toward the kitchen. He patted Lolita’s shoulders as he walked behind her. “The thing is, this isn’t a job, Mom.” 

“Until I beat this thing, I’ll treat it like one.” 

“In that case, Ramona had better make dinner when she gets back.” 

Lolita shook her head. “She’d burn the house down making yogurt.” 

Gael laughed. “She really would.” 

After the pair’s amusement subsided and Gael grabbed a glass of water, Lolita motioned for him to take a seat beside her. He gladly obliged and sipped as she worked at her puzzle.