The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.
There were few who knew it, but Spot Conlon had been a Catholic since the day he was baptized at six months old. Every Sunday morning you could find him in the sixth pew of the same church where his parents were married; the same church where his mother's funeral was held.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Maggie Conlon lived for twenty-nine years and died for no apparent reason in her sleep. William believed it was heartbreak over the disappearance of her only son, and no person doubted it. Spot attended her funeral. He came late, stood in the back, and left early. Only once did he catch his father's eye, and at that moment his soul screamed: Your fault it's your fault she's dead because of you your fault dead.
...I will fear no evil.
Spot grew up that day. Take any mother away from the child and the child is forced to adapt. He realized this when, in a fit of rage, he punched out a window with his bare fist. His knuckles and wrist bled; tiny shards of beautiful glass stuck in his skin. As he looked down at the mess, his thoughts hit him like a slap in the face.
I'm only mortal. Nobody lives forever.
You've got about forty more years, Conlon. Quit the crying and grow up.
So he did.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
"Amen."
Ethan had been looking for his alter ego all morning, so when Spot showed up at their usual selling corner Ethan was taken aback. "Where have you been?" he asked Spot, who looked like he'd been hit by a train. He was turning heads. "I thought you'd skipped town or something."
"It's Sunday," Spot replied. His left eye was useless, swollen, and sore. "Sabbath. I don't sell." He paused to lick his lips, which still tasted like blood. "You know that."
"Oh yeah..." Ethan kicked the ground. "Sunday. Right. Mass. Well, I could never go with you. I don't speak Latin." He sold a paper.
"Me neither," said Spot. "But it ain't about the words, Cooke—"
"Don't even start, Spot."
For an atheist, Spot found Ethan to be a pretty good guy. Except for the occasional disagreement, the pair got along perfectly. If they didn't look so different, one would think they were brothers. A mess of blonde curls and those damn adorable freckles made Ethan quite the target for the more promiscuous women in Brooklyn, but he didn't complain, of course. He never complained. Damn loyal, like a dog, he was. Ethan never had a problem being second to his best friend, mainly because he knew his place.
By noon, Ethan was finished with his relatively small stack of papers, and the pair was on their way to lunch. "Any preference?" Ethan asked Spot, who shook his head. "You're pretty damn quiet today. What's on your mind?"
Spot shrugged. "I just feel kinda funny is all," he said.
"Right, you told me this morning. You think you're sick?"
"It ain't a sick kind of feeling. It's like...something's gonna happen today. I can feel it."
Ethan thought for a moment. "You think this is the day you'll die?"
Spot laughed. "Nah," he said. "But if it is, I leave everything to you."
"Hey, hey, I don't want everything!" Ethan protested, and he laughed. "You can shove Brooklyn on somebody else. I wouldn't take it if you paid me." Spot raised an eyebrow. "Well...maybe if you paid me..."
They turned the corner onto Bridge Street, and at that moment, so did she.
Kate Fox was wasn't anything special to anyone. She was a mistake, actually. Her parents didn't intend to have children, so they gave her up. If there's one thing that can make a child feel unloved, that was it.
Their paths were never supposed to cross, but they did. Not only did their paths cross, but they downright smashed into each other.
Spot's shoulder hit her jaw, which caused Kate's head to twist and pop him in the nose. He recoiled and instinctively put his hand up to where her head had collided with his face.
"I am so sorry!" Kate apologized, putting her hands out like people do when they're concerned and afraid of a reaction. "Jesus...I'm sorry! Are you all right?" Spot pulled his hand away and took a good look at her. To his dying day, he never knew why he said what he did. It just came out that way.
"I'm going to marry you some day."
Kate blinked. "Excuse me?"
Ethan laughed. "What?"
Spot was thoroughly embarrassed. "I, uh...never mind." He turned to Ethan. "Is my nose bleeding? ...Stop grinning." Ethan tried, and failed miserably, so he just shook his head.
Kate cleared her throat. "Listen, I'm sorry I ran into you. You look, well, terrible." Spot's shoulders dropped and he gave her a look. "Well, you do. If you'll excuse me..."
She walked between Ethan and Spot, and neither of them stopped her. They both continued to walk.
Spot was troubled. "Have we met her before?" he asked.
Ethan shook his head. "Not that I remember."
"She seemed familiar."
"No, she didn't."
They didn't speak about it for the rest of the day, but Spot was convinced that he'd met that girl sometime before they ran into each other. He had a strong feeling that this was going to bother him for a pretty damn long time, and he was right.
Ah, Psalm 23. How could I not put it in here somewhere? Thanks a TON to my review crew--you guys make me so incredibly happy! Click that little button down there and give me a smile!
Lady Rach--You know it! You logging in equals updates from me. It's a cycle, you see. And stuff.
Chelsea--Any review is a good review! Haha, you're the coolest!
Sparks--I agree that Spot is QUITE attractive. If he was a real person, I think you and I would hunt him down and keep him in a box somewhere. I donno...just a hunch.
Bookey--Your long reviews make my insides go "YESSSSSSSSSS"...and that's a good thing! Your mom rocks. So does balanced!Spot.
Rae--Thanks! I promise to keep up my good work of writing if YOU promise to keep up the good work of reviewing! HA! I win!
Eponine--That was my favorite line too! I think it's funny when people try to find out reasons for the nickname "Spot", because it's just so ridiculous. I just HAD to make it his actual first name.
Raeghann--every time I type out your name, I spell it wrong. Not kidding. Every. Time. Anyways! Les is coming along slowly but surely! Every time I write in my little black book, I hate what turns out. So I have, like, five versions of the next chapter, and then one of them all spliced together...meh. It'll happen someday!
