Claire stands in front of the church, tucking her off-brand polo into the knee-length baby pink skirt that she's wearing. Her fingers shake with anger as she brushes her bangs across her forehead and adjusts her long ponytail. She doesn't want to look like a fuming hot mess at church.
In attempt to try and calm herself down, she exhales a couple of deep breaths. How stupid is she? For thinking that she could stand to have a courteous conversation with Gray, much less, date him. He is not for her. As far as she's concerned, the two of them are hardly even civil right now. What a complete jackass.
She walks into the church, its serene presence already helping to conciliate her. Claire loves the bright lights illuminating the stained glass windows, the bell which chimes the start of mass, and the kind pastor himself. Carter's greeting voice soothes her; he speaks and listens with such patient eyes, that she can't help but feel consistently valued.
Elli is sitting in the second row of pews, motioning Claire over with her warm brown eyes and a wave of her hand.
"Sorry," Claire apologizes quietly, sitting at the edge of the pew next to her. The wood feels cool against her back. "I hate walking in late."
Elli shrugs, tousling her short, chestnut hair. "This is the first time that I got here early. It's such a disaster helping Stu ready," she whispers, pointing to her little brother. He sits in a pew at the far back of the church next to May, fidgeting with his combed over hair. Poor Elli is twenty-two, works as a nurse full-time, and has to care for both Stu and her ailing grandmother at home. Claire and Popuri have both offered to watch him in order to alleviate some of Elli's stress, but she always insists that she's fine.
A person is sitting in the same pew as them, right beside Elli, but Claire just keeps her eyes fixed forward as mass begins.
Although this isn't a Catholic church like the one she grew up in, she finds solace in any place of worship. It isn't even that she's crazy religious (well, to some it may seem that way), but she experiences comfort when practicing her beliefs with other likeminded people. Claire's church used to discuss the importance of The Holy Trinity, a moral compass, family, love; all teachings that resonated so easily with her. But then there were things that she just didn't agree with at all: Bible inerrancy, the church's views on homosexuality, being told that premarital sex would send you straight to hell if you didn't seek salvation for it. And don't even get her started on their opinions of her late mother practicing yoga. Or that time the priest called Jesus Christ Superstar "inaccurate blasphemy." Duh it's inaccurate... when is a group of people bursting out into song and dance realistic?
So much was imposed on her at such a young age; so much guilt regarding sin... so many strict rules that she had to abide by blindly. Looking back, Claire disagrees with a lot of them. She used to question them all the time! And she's actually pretty sure that she broke a few just last night.
She's breaking one currently by holding on to her unapologetic grudge towards Gray.
Gray…
No. Not here, not in church!
"Let us offer each other a sign of peace," says Carter at the front.
Piece of her damn mind. Claire tries her best to focus on forgiveness as she shakes Elli's hand.
"Peace be with you," the person beside Elli says, reaching behind. It's a guy. A man.
Handsome Man from the inn!
He's universally attractive, in a way that's kind of hard to believe. He's older too, probably quite a bit older, actually. His hair is a swoopy, jet-black, lucious mane over his head. His brows are thick but well-groomed, eyes a mysterious, deep brown. He's clean-shaven and proper, with a stethoscope strung around his neck.
IS HANDSOME MAN A DOCTOR?
"Oh, peace," Claire manages out. His hands are delicate and soft against her own. Surgeon hands. He smiles so brightly at her, that she thinks she could just melt into a little puddle on the floor at any given moment.
He's still holding on to her hand, as though he's found himself lost in a trance. Realizing this, he lets go immediately. "My apologies," he murmurs, his tone leveled and cool. Claire just blushes and looks away, her stomach churning with millions of butterflies. Elli averts her eyes to the two of them quizzically.
Mass continues, but Claire's mind feels like it's going at a mile a minute. Her heart is about to burst out from under her ribcage. She keeps her head lowered the rest of the time, but opens one eye as she kneels down to pray.
The man has kept his gaze on her.
Claire nervously chews on her cheek outside of the church, watching as Stu runs around with six stolen pieces of host clutched in his hands. Elli groans, darting after him.
"I'm sorry for staring."
It's the man. He's approaching her after mass like she excitedly feared he would, hands stuffed in his pockets. She takes note at his beautiful complexion, well-proportioned stature, and sexy, sexy Southern drawl. Like a clean-cut cowboy.
Okay, don't be lame. You can do this. Don't be embarrassing. Play it cool.
"I just couldn't help but admire how beautiful you are."
Claire blinks, struggling to find the right words to say back. She doesn't remember the last time that someone told her that she was beautiful. She doesn't think that she's necessarily bad looking, but she isn't somebody you'd write home about. Her nose is a bit too pointy, her eyes too big, her lips kind of uneven, and then there's those damn scars... I definitely wouldn't call myself "beautiful".
Though the man standing in front of her certainly is. His almond-shaped eyes are striking as they stay fixated on her.
Because he's waiting for a response! SPEAK, IDIOT.
"It's okay, I was staring too," Claire finally says sheepishly. Her face burns scarlet. "I mean, not at you! I just, um-" Her throat feels dry with nerves. "I'm Claire."
"I know who you are," he says, nodding at her. "A pretty name for a pretty girl." He stares at her as though he is captivated. "My name is Trent. Doctor Trent, actually."
Claire takes his hand, swooning. A stupid grin is plastered over her face. "You're a doctor?"
He points at his stethoscope. "I graduated out of medical school almost two years ago."
CALLED IT! Well, the stethoscope helped, but I still CALLED IT.
Claire's heart pitter-patters. She can feel it pumping inside of her chest. "Oh, wow," she says.
Yikes, how old does that make him then?
Trent smiles grandly. His teeth are impossibly white, as though they've been professionally done. "I generally study epidemiology and oncology," he explains. "But I'm here as Mineral Town's general practitioner now."
"Oh, wow," she echoes again, mindlessly. Can't you say anything worthwhile?
"I'm a man who's just very concerned with health overall."
"I agree," she says, pretending like she didn't spend her previous evening indulging in sugary sweets and unhealthy behaviour. "That is very important."
Yeah, great job. Super worthwhile conversation you're making here, Claire.
"I'm also a man who likes to cut to the chase," Trent says. "I've spent a lot of my life in ignorance, but I think that I'd like to be blunt now. Let me take you to dinner tomorrow night."
"Oh." Claire bites her lip, taken aback. "We just met, though!" she exclaims.
Trent looks her over. "And yet, I feel like I already know you."
"How so?" Claire asks, meeting his gaze. The hopeless romantic inside of her kicks in. She's suddenly very aware of the soft, spring breeze around them, the floral aroma in the air, the birds chirping a tune in the distance. They're facing each other in the middle of the sidewalk as the townsfolk bustle around them, but it feels like they're the only two people on this planet right now.
"You're of a healthy build, perhaps shorter than average, which is quite adorable." Trent gestures toward her small stature as she blushes again. He clasps his cold hands over hers, causing her skin to go frigid. Yup, definitely a doctor. "But there is such a strength to you. I can tell that you take good care of yourself, which for some reason, is always impressive."
Claire just giggles. "It's interesting to see people do the bare minimum, huh?"
"Perhaps you could get more Vitamin D," he replies, motioning towards the paleness of her arms. "But I'm only teasing."
"As if I've never heard that one before," Claire laughs. "I don't even know you, and you're already telling me how pale I am."
"Then let me get to know you," Trent says. This time, he's much more firm. "I have to tell you, Claire, I'm the kind of man who doesn't like to take no for an answer."
"Oh." Claire rolls a stone under her heel beneath her. She's nervous, but in a giddy kind of way. He releases her hand, looking at her expectantly. Everything is happening so fast. What if she messes this up? She's never even been on a real date before.
And whatever the heck I did with Gray does not count.
"Is that doctor's orders?" Claire flirts.
"It is," Trent agrees with a smile.
