Want to support CHYOA?
Disable your Ad Blocker! Thanks :)

Chapter 199 by K5Rakitan K5Rakitan

How do Joan's parents react when she walks into church?

Shocked but accepting

Since the front of the church faced the street, people arriving by vehicle parked behind the church and entered through the back door. The courtyard behind the church buzzed with activity: old ladies hugging one another, a table for signing a petition to end the **** penalty, a bake sale fundraising for a local homeless shelter, and middle-aged men swarming around a deacon. Joan walked boldly between Marc and Mokuba, holding their hands as a few people stopped to gawk. She noticed her parents' bicycles locked to the wrought iron fence and gulped down a wave of nostalgia.

Tamara walked ahead and held the back door open for the trio, but since this door was much narrower than the front entrance, Joan released their hands. She blessed herself with holy water from a small bowl affixed to the door frame and heard a collective gasp from across the room, amplified by the church's sound system. She looked up to see the entire choir frozen. A few sheets of music fluttered to the floor. Joan's father George spilled a steady trickle of water over his face from a stainless steel water bottle as he paused mid-gulp.

"What?" Joan asked innocently.

Gertrude spoke first. "We're just so happy to see you."

"It's been a long time," the choir director added.

Someone helped George clean up the water he had spilled while Joan approached the choir with Marc, Mokuba, and the bodyguards in tow. She hugged her mother first, then got hugged by most of the other choir members as Gertrude went to hug Mokuba. "I sensed you were the more virtuous brother. Thank you for bringing her back to us."

"It's not exactly like that," Mokuba protested, feeling awkward in her long embrace.

"It doesn't matter why. What matters is that you're here."

"It does matter," Marc cut in. "We need to have a word with the big man in the sky."

"I'm sorry," Gertrude said, "I don't think we've been properly introduced."

Mokuba did the honors. "Mrs. Saunders, this is Joan's boyfriend Marc Aurelio. Marc also works for me, and he's the reason we met. Marc, this is Joan's mother Gertrude Saunders."

Gertrude shook Marc's hand while she scrutinized him. "I remember your name from the article and your face from the Youtube video, but . . ." Gertrude lowered her voice, "is she really seeing all of you?"

"Yes." Marc's unyielding walnut eyes stared into Gertrude's.

Gertrude glanced back at her daughter smiling and exchanging pleasantries with old friends. Joan's confirmation sponsor grabbed her hand to examine the ring on her finger. Gertrude turned back to Marc. "I'd like to know the full story on how you met, but it will have to wait until after Mass." She gave them a short nod and returned to her seat.

Where do Joan and her party sit?

Comments

      Want to support CHYOA?
      Disable your Ad Blocker! Thanks :)