49

“I hear the play won’t be horrible after all.”

Finn shifted his gaze from the curious image of Darcy and her brother in a clearly emotion-laden conversation to Sissy Jenkins as she rang up the final few customers. “I think you’ll be pleased.” Finn said.

“I’ll hold my judgment until I see the play. It’s hard to imagine a science-y person could be good with children and theatrics, but Lulu swears her niece has some background and a talent for it.” Sissy frowned.

“Darcy has done an outstanding job. The kids like her and the adult cast members have only given me positive feedback.”

“Well, what’re they supposed to say? Would they complain about the pastor’s girlfriend to the pastor?”

His vision glazed pink as his blood seemed to boil under his skin, burning a path up his neck and spreading across his cheeks. After his run with Sean, Finn tucked the potential of Sissy knowing he had kissed Darcy into a locked box in the back of his mind. Had Sissy seen him kissing Darcy? Forget pink cheeks, he would be lucky to keep his breakfast in his stomach.

“Well? Don’t you have anything to say about your romantic status, Pastor Finn? Or do you play tonsil hockey with all your parishioners and I’m just being left out?”

Sissy’s emphasis on his title made him feel small and unworthy. What pastor, what religious leader for that matter, worth the bible he carried would have allowed himself to…to…

“This is not a situation where silence is golden, young man.” Sissy snapped her fingers in front of Finn’s nose and grabbed his arm, dragging him into an empty Sunday school classroom. “You may think you are some modern, man-of-God who can flip your nose in the face of what is sacred and holy, but let me tell you something...modern or not, you’re the pastor of this church and we have expectations. Do you remember your promise to our leadership committee when we went out on a limb to hire you?”

Finn nodded. How could he forget? The committee’s concern over his single status coupled with his lack of senior citizen age bracket translated to Finn agreeing to sign a commitment of purity while on staff. He didn’t need the strong arming of Sissy to sign the document. He gladly agreed. The commitment was a reflection of the vow he had given to God. “Sissy, I have never wavered from my commitment to purity or chastity.” The fire building under his skin amplified as the feel of Darcy’s lips against his flashed in his memory. He may be abiding by the letter of the document if not the full spirit.

“I saw what I saw. Or are you accusing me of lying?”

“No. Of course not.”

“Then I’ll ask you again. What is your romantic status, Pastor Finn? The committee has a right to know. Your position, after all, is at our discretion. I would recommend you think very carefully on your answer.”

Finn glanced down at Sissy and her chemically red hair. Her petite stature and age would fool many into believing she was a harmless old busybody with too much time on her hands. But Finn wasn’t a fool. Sissy was better than the FBI, the CIA, and the New Scotland Yard at unraveling a mystery. If the stories could be believed, Sissy was the lynchpin in unmasking Maggie McKitrick-Taylor’s stalker, and she more recently forced his cousin’s fiancé to declare his love. If Sissy wanted to know the truth, she would know it, either directly from his lips or through her investigative powers.

But what could Finn tell Sissy about his romantic status when he wasn’t sure himself?