Elijah smiled sadly. "It is ok. You came back just to give me soup. It would have been rude to send you away sooner. Thank you for coming. I truly appreciate it." He felt perhaps it was best he left . Elijah was sure he had asked too much and bothered him.

"I'll drop by in a few days to see if you're ok."

No! That defied the point! But he had already said it. "I hope you feel better soon." And he left, feeling sick with himself.

"Ah." The sensible part of his brain was about to refuse and tell him not to worry. He could just pop by the church when he was back on his feet. But the shameful part spoke first "That would be wonderful of you. I would be delighted to have you."

He wanted to curse his own mind and thoughts. "Hopefully you will not need to. Having the company and getting some food into me seems to have helped tremendously."

Before the father could move though, he sat up slightly. "Before you go, may I ask one favor? Could you go into my medicine cabinet and grab the powder? My head has been throbbing all day. I normally have it with tea but this water will do. I am sorry to ask so much of you..." He smiled softly not thinking clearly what he had said could be taken.

Luckily, seminary boy Gabriel missed the alternative meaning. "Certainly, " he said and he fetched the powder. "Shall I make you some tea?"

Elijah relaxed and shook his head. "I couldn't ask that of you. You're tired. You have probably been up long before the sun and been on your feet. Have you even eaten anything today before the soup you brought over? You don't want to get sick yourself from working yourself to the bone, father."

Elijah wasn't far off the mark. He tended to be so busy he forgot to eat. The housekeeper had already told him off several times for leaving her meals untouched. He put the kettle on. "Its just a matter of boiling water. You should stay in bed."

And he shouldn't be here.

Elijah smiled weakly and slowly returned to eating the soup as he waited for the tea and the priest to return. "You are still being generous to stay and make me tea. I would offer to check up on you if all of this ends up making you ill, but I know I'm not needed." He chuckled softly. " You are probably healthier than I am though. Touched by God and all that, I don't think I hear very often about priests getting ill.."

Gabriel smiled lightly. "Alas! That is not how it works..." He stood there, waiting. "Although I lived through a typhoid fever when I was a child, so my mother believes I am especially healthy."

"Oh? Must be by chance then.." Elijah looked in his direction in the other room with a small smile. "Perhaps you are. We would never know unless you get seriously ill, which I pray never happens."

Gabriel just nodded and thankfully left for the kitchen when he heard the water boil. He returned with a cup of tea. "I should really go now..." he said.