Going to Church

It's Sunday morning; I stayed the night at Carly's. Hell, I spent the last few days here. Aunt Olivia told mom what had happened with Sam. Carly had barely gotten out of bed that day after we visited Sam. School starts next week and Carly is holding on by her fingernails. I only looked better on the outside; I was a wreck too. I was dressed in dockers and a nice shirt; Carly was wearing a gray skirt and peach blouse. She had asked me to take her to church. This was a new thing for her; mom had raised me Catholic. As we were getting ready to leave, Spencer stumbled in the door.

"S'up?" We could smell the sweat and beer on him. He had gone out with Socko and his buddies. "I crashed at Socko's after we met up with these two hot babes we ran into at the junkyard."

Carly smoothed her skirt; "We're going to church."

"Why?" The Shay's had never been to church except for weddings and such.

"I don't know. Maybe I can find some answers there." Carly needed to make sense of what Sam did.

"Have fun you two. I'm going sleep this off." Spencer headed for his room.

We arrive at St. Joseph's church; ironically, it's just down the street from Washington Park. As we enter, I explain what the fountain in the front is for and some of the rites of the church. As the service winds down, Carly seems to be a little better, she's not crying and almost smiled. I notice her looking at the booths along the wall.

"Those are the confessionals. You go in one side and the priest is on the other and you tell them all the sins you've committed since your last confession."

"You just tell them anything?"

"Yeah, and they can't tell anyone unless what you tell them is a crime."

"Will they be there today?"

"Yeah, after the service. Why?"

As the service ends Carly looks at me, "Maybe I need to talk to a stranger." She gets up and walks into one of the booths. I watch as one of the priests enters the adjoining booth.

Carly's POV

I'm sitting in this little room about to tell a total stranger my biggest problem; what the hell am I doing? I hear the next door over open and close and then the little window between us slid open. Guess it's time to leave my secrets here.

"I killed my best friend." I blurt out. "I'm sorry, this is my first time and I'm a little scared and…. I'm sorry."

"Be calm, what happened with your friend?" The older voice sounded as if he had heard this sort of thing before.

"My best friend from when I was a kid came to Seattle and drove a wedge between me and my best friend, Sam. In the end I chose Missy over Sam. She…she shot herself. I killed Sam."

"No, you didn't. Everyone has free will, the ability to make our own decisions. Your friend made her choice."

"Sam was a great friend, I realize that now. I just don't know what to do. I said some really mean things to her and now, I can never make things right."

"It's never too late to make right. You need to ask for forgiveness."

"But…"

"There are no 'buts', if you are truly remorseful, then God will forgive you."

"It's not God I need to forgive me." I realize how awful that sounds, "I'm sorry, that was rude of me."

"I understand your confusion. We do not understand his plan or why he allows bad things to happen. You need faith that your friend is in a better place. Everything happens for a reason. That may not make you feel better now, but maybe you can find some peace."

"Thank you." I stand and open the door. As I walk over to Freddie, I swear I see Sam in the crowd.

A/N: I admit this was a weak chapter, I'm juggling 3 stories and a case of writers block. I know where I want these guys to go, it's just hard to get them there. Reviews are welcome and encouraged.