After leaving Matt, Kitty wandered the streets of New Orleans for a while. There was a park not too far from her house so she made her way there and sat down on a bench under a large tree. Matt finally proposed and she wasn't sure what to do. Her love and need for him was unquestioned. Whether with him or not, Matt would forever be in her heart.
And, she knew, he felt the same way about her. She'd never doubted his love. Though he seldom stated it, he'd more than once gone out of his way to show her. But all too often he'd shown her that his badge had the bigger part of his life and his heart. Could it be that he'd shook that loose? Could he really be through with it? Kitty took a deep breath and got to her feet. She found no answers under the tree. Maybe, she'd find them somewhere else.
"Miss Russell!' Reverend Henry smiled when Kitty entered the church but his smile faded when he saw the expression on her face. "Is something wrong?"
"No." Kitty quickly shook her head. "No, I… I…" She sighed and looked up at him. "I don't know, Reverend. I… I have a decision to make and I'm having trouble doing that. I just… I don't know what to do. I thought maybe…"
Leon Henry was a very astute man and a very compassionate one. He could tell she was in distress and prayed he'd be able to help her, even if only the smallest of ways. "Come, have a seat." He led her to one of the bench seats. "Now, do you want to tell me about it? Or just pray about it?"
Kitty shook her head. "Reverend, I'm not sure the man upstairs would listen if I did pray. If you knew my background…"
"You mean that you owned a saloon in Kansas? Or worked as a saloon girl before that? Or maybe that you're an expert with a deck of cards or the best whiskey's or wines?" He smiled when he saw the shocked expression on her face. "One of this city's finest made it her mission to inform me of your past when she saw you attend services here. Apparently she knew you from sometime back and thought I would be interested. I sternly advised her I wasn't."
"Who..." Kitty wanted to know who had done such a thing.
"That isn't important." Henry shook his head. "Her opinion isn't important. What is important is that God doesn't care about your past. We all sin and fall short of the glory, Miss Russell. That's part of the free will that God instilled in us. Of course, I suspect in your case, it was more a case of have to instead of want to."
Kitty dropped her head and nodded, remembering all too well her early years of struggle.
"But as I said, it's not what we used to do; it's what we do now and every day from here on. Once we repent, if we stay true and strive every day to stick to that commitment, that's all that matters. Apparently, you made a conscious decision to change your life and you succeeded. I can see it in your eyes. Change like that always shows in a person's eyes. Whatever your past, it doesn't matter as long as you don't go back to it. I think that anyone can do that if they want to."
Reverend Henry stopped when he remembered that Kitty Russell hadn't come for a sermon. "But, that's not what you came here for is it? You came with a need. I'm sorry. Guess I can't help preaching. So, what can I do for you?"
Kitty smiled as she realized the man of God in front of her, had already helped her. "Actually, Reverend, I did come needing assistance to make a decision. And you just helped me to do that."
"I did?" Henry frowned slightly.
"You did," Kitty nodded, "and now I have something to do. Thank you, Reverend. Thank you very much."
Reverend Henry nodded as she swiftly got to her feet and left the church. He wasn't exactly sure just what it was he'd said to help her or what problem she'd come there to solve. But with a shrug and a happy smile he got to his feet and went about his business, grateful the Lord had allowed him to help someone, even if he had no idea how.
TBC