Professor F novel Chapter 37

The cab halted in front of a church in the outskirts of Seattle and Flynn pulled out his wallet before she could even get her coin purse to pay the cab driver. They stepped out of the vehicle and stood in front of the church while people walked inside to attend the evening mass.

It was a small church with a small parking lot and lawn but number of people are still coming and gathered, bringing donations.

"Are we attending the evening mass?" August asked, curious. We could've gone to a church in the city if he wants to attend but why here?

He nodded as he holds her hand in his. They walked inside with the last few people coming in. The mass then started and Flynn was quietly hearing the mass beside her. He would sometimes hold her hand in his or brush the top of her hand with his thumb while their fingers are crossed.

I wonder what he's thinking about right now. Is this what he wanted to show me? Or he just wants to attend the evening mass before showing her "the place", like to get enough courage and strength?

The mass ended but Flynn stayed seated with her. She waited for him to say something and just stayed quiet as she observed people leaving the church.

Only few people were left when the presiding priest on that evening mass walked towards them with a smile on his face. Flynn then stood up, held the priest's hand in his and lifted it to his forehead. "Father Philips."

She was lost. She stood behind Flynn and forced a smile to the presiding priest as she reached for his hand and brought it to her forehead as courtesy and respect as well. "Good evening, Father." She greeted shortly. Flynn knows him. He must be someone from his past.

He smiled at them. "Welcome back, son. How are you?"

Welcome back?

Flynn nodded with a smile and held her hands in his. "I'm good, Father. Thank you. You didn't age a bit." Both laughed shortly. "By the way, this is August—my girlfriend." Flynn introduced her and she blushed at how natural the word my girlfriend came out of his mouth—she felt happy. "August, this is Father Philips, he's the head parish here in town."

Father Philips smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to see you, too, Father." She smiled back.

"You must be tired and hungry. Why don't you stay the night after dinner?"

Flynn nodded and she agreed. She was expecting that they'd have dinner somewhere but it turns out Father Philips will cook dinner for them.

They walked a few blocks from the church and they reached his home. It was a simple house with almost nothing in it but an old couch set, simple wooden dining set and his kitchen is as simple as his living area.

He was smiling as he was working in the kitchen while Flynn tried to help him as she quietly sits on the chair but Father Philips refused any help and just allowed them to stay with him in the kitchen. "Let me be a good host of this feast."

"Of course." Flynn agreed, smiling.

"So, how was teaching in the university?" Father asked while he chops the beef meat in cubes and then the broccoli.

She watched both men talking. Flynn looked at her. "It was always a good and exciting experience to teach, Father. I could still remember how Father Jacobs taught me when I was younger." Flynn looked a little sad when he mentioned that name.

Father Flynn was also looking a little sad. "Father Jacobs really taught you well. He turned your gift into something extraordinary. You were so shy and quiet as a kid. Who would've thought you'd be teaching classes?"

That sparked August's interest. It seemed like Flynn spent his childhood with them. Both men noticed her sudden interest. Father Philips then smiled at her before Flynn, as if silently asking if he can talk more about it. Flynn seem to have understood it and nodded.

"Flynn grew up here in this neighborhood with priests as his parents or uncles or friends." He started to mix the meat, broccoli and sauce in a pan. "We found him on the church's doorstep one night when I was working on a case study with Father Jacobs. He was left covered with thick cloth in an old crib with note left, a note saying the regret and shame the person felt writing the letter. I even remember Flynn crying all of a sudden and Father Jacobs as if on impulse carried him and Flynn calmed down."

She listened to Father Philips attentively. She's finally hearing Flynn's past, a part of him that she always wanted to know about. A young Flynn. "Flynn is a bright kid. Look at him now. We're so proud of him." He smiled proudly as he washed his hands and dried it with a clean cloth on the kitchen counter as they wait for the beef and broccoli to be cooked. "But you know, he was very shy and quiet that we even considered having him checked by a speech specialist. We thought he is mute because he never talks to anybody since we tried sending him to daycare."

"Then we realized he wasn't. We had to bring him somewhere else, he took tests and we are all surprised when he got over a hundred!"

"We couldn't afford sending him to school as you know we only depend on donations here and some help from the main parish. So I had the young priests especially Father Jacobs teach him. But Father Jacobs was exceptionally good as he raised Flynn like his own son. That's why their bond is different among all others." Father Philips was sad again mentioning Father Jacobs' name.

Flynn took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he looked at her to explain. "Father Jacobs died in a car accident traveling to New York for a peace conference.”