A/N: THIS NEXT GROUP OF STORIES ABOUT CHRISTINE TAKE PLACE ABOUT 15 YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
"Hi, Dad. I'm glad you could meet me for lunch." Christine gave him a hug.
"I'm happy to see you, too, but I'm a little surprised you wanted me to come by myself. What's up?"
Christine paused, trying to figure out how to begin. "Dad, I have a plan for what I want to do next summer when school's out, but I'm afraid Mom is going to be upset. I need to know how to tell her about it."
Booth was stunned. "What could be so bad that you can't tell your mother? Are you hitchhiking across Africa? Because I think she did that herself."
"No, nothing like that, although that might be easier for her to understand." Christine took a deep breath and continued. "I want to spend next summer at a Benedictine convent in West Virginia so I can explore a religious vocation. I'm thinking about becoming a nun."
"A nun?" Booth was shocked. This was the last thing he expected to hear from his daughter.
"I can get my degree and be a nurse or even a doctor in a mission field. I really feel a call on my life. The first step is to go for a short time to see if I like it. It's not a commitment. If I don't like it I can leave at any time."
"Christine, if this is what you want to do, then go for it. Your mother doesn't believe in God, but she'll want you to explore all of the options for your life. Before you discuss this with her, be sure you've done all your research, and be prepared for an argument. But if you're meant to do this, she'll eventually accept it."
"Thanks, Daddy."
"Anytime, sweetheart." Booth stirred his coffee, silently praying that Bones really would accept it eventually….