how much time June spent here—after church, before church, every damn day. Jane wondered if she actually ever gained a follower from this? Over the last few weeks, the only people Jane saw approach June and her little pop-up pamphlet corner were the homeless looking for spare change. Jane’s eyes narrowed as she watched the older woman shoo every single one of them away empty-handed.
Jane’s assessment had been correct. Parents were the ones responsible for their children, and this woman’s delusional and festering soul was almost enough for her to dig up a small sliver of sympathy for Dave. Almost.
She spent quite a lot of time, during her sessions with Harmony, hearing about June and August Collins. From what she gathered, August was interested in three things: food, attractive women and obeying his wife’s every command. June, on the other hand, seemed to delight in control and maintaining power over the rest of her family. They were the type of people who came from nothing at all, only to be handed everything by their much too generous daughter-in-law. Jane knew June could afford to feed every single homeless person who approached her, yet she did not. Because people like June Collins only cared about those in a privileged enough position to do for her. Even then, her kindness was false. Jane could spot a liar and a hypocrite from miles away. She’d grown up with parents like that herself.
Today was the day Jane finally approached the booth. She shuffled her feet, and feigned indecision—as if she was so close to stepping into the welcoming arms of the church. June spotted her with her beady hawk eyes and pounced at the opportunity, practically forcing a pamphlet into Jane’s hand.
“I see the Lord in you, dear girl.”
“You do?” she asked hopefully.
“Oh yes.” June grasped Jane’s hands. “The faith is strong within you, you believe.”
“I want to so very badly,” Jane whispered shyly. “Are you sure?”
“He has chosen me as His shepherd, it is my duty to find those who He deems worthy and to bring them into the folds of his gracious embrace.”
“Oh, but I’m not worthy, I know nothing of your teachings or practices.”
“Don’t you see? You were sent here by Him, to me. This is your calling, your destiny, child.”
“You think so?” With a tiny step forward she opened the pamphlet and began to browse.
“My dear, I’m more sure of it than I have been of anything ever in my entire life.” Still Jane showed a bit of hesitance. This only seemed to encourage June’s intense ranting. “Join us at the new members gathering next week and I will show you His light. It will be all the proof you need of your own worthiness.”
Jane nodded, “Okay...I’ll—I’ll try.”
“That’s all God will ever ask of you. You don’t have to be perfect...” she trailed off, extending her hand towards Jane.
“Hope. My name is Hope.”
“How lovely. You don’t have to be perfect, Hope, you just have to believe that everything will work out in the end. He always has a plan for each and every one of us.”
So do I, Jane agreed, as she let the older woman latch onto her arm and turn her attention to the teachings of God.