AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The corner of Father Michael’s mouth lifted just a little. “Yes, I suppose that’s true.”
“Here’s an idea. Let’s ask him.”
When the voice rumbled out from behind them, Gia squeaked and jumped up from the bench.
“How do you do that?” She glared at him. “How do you manage to sneak up on me like that?”
“My woman wants me to give confession? Here’s one for you.” Riker turned to Father Mike and winked. “I have super powers.”
“Well at least you’re confessing tosomething.” Gia grumbled. Then she raised an eyebrow “Where’s Rourke?”
“He’s with Audrina. She came by early to drop off some last minute stuff for the christening, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to see what you were up to.”
“What I’m up to is having a private conversation with my spiritual advisor.” She lifted her nose in the air.
Riker shook his head and he grinned. Then he held out his hand, “Good to see you, Father.”
“You too, Riker.” The priest returned the handshake with a smile. “Now if you’ll excuse me, it seems you two have some talking to do.”
“Gia, really? What are you doing here?” Riker sat down next to his wife.
“I want you to go to confession!”
“No shit? It’s funny because you nagging me about it 24/7 didn’t give me a clue. Like I told you, I had enough of that shit when I was a kid. Every Thursday at four o’clock my ma would march us down to see Father O’Malley. We used to go so often I used to have to make shit up.”
“Well, you won’t have to make shit up now!” Gia shot out.
Riker narrowed his eyes at her. “Gia, you’ve been looking at me like I have two heads for a couple of weeks now. I keep asking you what’s wrong and you won’t say, now I find you telling the priest you’re worried for my…how the hell did you put it?”
“Immortal soul.” Gia told him.
“Wow, that’s heavy. What the hell do you think I’ve done to put my immortal soul at risk? Charge too much for a carburetor?” Riker laughed.
“Don’t laugh at me!”
“I’m laughing at you because you’re being fucking ridiculous.”
Gia looked all around her and then leaned in like she was giving away government secrets. “You killed that man! I know you did it for me, because of what he did to me, the accident and all. I understand why you did it, Riker, I do. And honestly, god forgive me, I am happy that man is dead. But murder is a mortal sin and I don’t want you going to hell for me!”
Riker shot up off the bench. “Gia, what the fuck are you talking about?”
Two nuns out for a mid- morning stroll raised their eyebrows as they walked serenely by.
“You killed that man.”
“What man?”
“Drummer.”Gia sniffed. “And you did it for me, and now I’m gonna be the reason that you go to hell.”
“Is that what’s got you pacing the floor and working those rosary beads every day at the crack of dawn? Gia are you praying for me so I don’t go to hell?” Riker ran a hand through his hair.
“Well, technically I’m praying for both of us, I don’t want to go to hell either.” Gia bit her bottom lip. “Riker, the Saints? La Familia? I know that the doctrines we follow and the enemies we make sometimes move us in a direction to take actions that aren’t always lawful or moral. But that doesn’t mean I don’t worry about the moral consequences or about damnation. Especially, since I’ve gone to Catholic school my whole life. Can you imagine being raised by Cosa Nostra and having the ten commandments drilled into your head daily? Thou shall not kill is a big one, Riker.”
“Yeah, Gia…altar boy.” Riker pointed to himself. “Remember?”
“Altar boy who broke into the vestry on a weekly basis and drank the wine and gobbled down the holy eucharist as a chaser! Not sure that counts, Riker.”
“They’re just wafers until they’re blessed.” He retorted.
