Anastasia

Ten

San Francisco had to be the nicest place he'd visited.

It wasn't too hot.

It had beaches.

There was a variety of food. He loved food.

And, he would admit it to himself and God, San Francisco had Anastasia.

The woman who preferred being called Chère by him.

It was stupid and a losing battle for him to fight the growing feelings he had for the woman, but he could be stupid at times.

What was the point anyway?

What could he do with those feelings?

If he put his faith in the small chance that she did like men like him, stuck around longer than three months, and sought after her, what would happen?

"That's too much to think on," He murmured as he walked through the fancy park.

He left Dominic's house to explore the city and see if the Lord had something to say.

The Lord spoke to him sometimes.

It made him feel worth something when he heard His voice.

The One who died for him wanted to say something to him. He didn't see him as trouble or worthless. He saw him as justified, righteous, holy, and honestly, somebody.

His past wasn't attached to his name when God spoke. He was a son to God. A new one.

There was something about being a son of God.

It didn't make him perfect.

It made him worthy.

God didn't talk down to him. He didn't call him hopeless or foolish. He didn't even condemn him for living like a helion for years and writing trash songs.

All that and more made Austin want to do right by the Lord. Make himself more worthy of the clean title God gave him.

But how could he do that?

Was it even what God wanted from him?

"You gotta tell me, show me what You want, Lord. I'll do it for you. I promise," He prayed lowly and shook his head.

He couldn't spend too much time in his head wondering what he could do to make God's choice of saving him worthwhile.

It was a beautiful day out.

"My, my, and gettin more beautiful by the second,"

There she was.

Anastasia.

She was sitting on a blanket reading under an umbrella.

Stunning.

Her pretty hair was tucked together under a scarf.

"How on earth?"

He was literally dumbfounded.

He'd never used the word poised, but that she was.

Poised and beautiful.

He wouldn't have stressed her beauty if didn't know her. She was really a beautiful woman. A slightly uptight sweetheart with a laugh that unfortunately tickled his heart.

He was a sucker.

"Chère," He called as he neared her.

Anastasia's brow rose at the name.

What was he doing here?

"Austin," She said, slightly closing her Bible to be polite.

He smiled.