Caroline and the Pastor

Chapter Ten

Caroline:

It's so bright in here. I usually close my curtains, so I can gently wake up. Did I forget? Wow, I must've hugged Father for a long time last night, I can still smell his scent all over me. Wait, the windows weren't facing my bed before..?
Oh... oh, may God forgive me.

"Good morning, lovely."

I fell asleep in Father's bed?? Where did he sleep? Surely, we didn't share the same bed!

"Father! Oh, um.. please, forgive me! I didn't mean to fall asleep in your bed. I'm so sorry! I hope... uh...you slept well." Why is it so warm in here?

"It's okay, Caroline. What's mine is yours, remember? I slept on the floor, so don't you dare freak out. Please."

The floor? Oh my, but Father...

"...deserves better than the floor."

"What was that?"

Did I say that out loud?? Please, please, no that's so embarrassing!

"I said... that, um, you deserve better than the floor, Father."

He let out a warm chuckle. Good. So, it amused him? Oh man, I'm so embarrassed! He's getting closer? Can't he talk from a distance? I'm so flustered right now.

"Hey, remember when I said to call me Julian?"

"Y-Yes.. um."

"Yes, who?" He began to tilt my chin up so my eyes met his. I bet I'm as red as sin itself right now. I can't think!

"Yes, Julian. Should I only call you that when we're...alone?"

"Correct. Also, don't worry about the phone call you missed with your father last night, I called him and straightened everything out."

Wow! Thank you, Jesus! This man truly wields all things holy.

"Oh! I can't believe I forgot to call him! How negligent of me! Was he mad? Thank you so much, Fath-... uh, Julian."

"Of course, dear. Now go freshen up. We have breakfast, then 8am prayer, and happy birthday, darling. Eighteen is a good look on you."

"Yes, sir, right away! Thank you again! Happy birthday to you, as well!"

I couldn't help but hug him before leaving. I can barely think right now, anyway. I'm sure he didn't mind? It's not my fault that I felt drawn to him. He was still in his regular clothes! It's his birthday, too. That warrants an unsolicited hug, right? Ugh, I'll certainly have to ask for forgiveness at prayer today, with how I've been thinking around him. I called him sir? What was that? We're close enough to pass those formalities. Unless, he was okay with that? Regardless, that was embarrassing. Ugh.