05-10-2022, 02:38 AM
Edmund thought it strange for just a moment that a priest could become restless in - whatever a presbytery was. Some sort of church, he assumed. Shouldn't a priest feel at home in a place like that?
But then, Edmund was running away from his own home, wasn't he?
He would not judge Father Brennan for his nightly hobbies, then, especially not while the man was actively helping him.
Even in the pale light on the street, the place looked... extravagant. Expensive. The boy paused for just a heartbeat as it was pointed out to him, doubt and guilt building up in his stomach. There must be a cheaper place nearby, right? Edmund couldn't let the Father spend so much on him and his sister and sleep well right after, to matter how tired he was.
Before he could object, though, Father Brennan asked him a question he did not know how to answer, worse than the ones before. Technically, no, he had not eaten, but he was also not hungry. Mable he knew for certain was hungry - or at least was before falling asleep. But if Edmund said that, the man would feel the need to spend more money yet on them, just to feed them. On the other hand, if Edmund said no, Mable would have to go hungry for another night.
Not for the first time that night, Edmund felt crushed under the weight of the world.
"Father," he started uncertainly, "this place looks... I don't think they'd like to have kids like me and Mable soiling their beds."
He tried to keep his tone light, though he could not judge how successful he was. Intentionally, he did not answer the Father's question, hoping to buy himself more time to solve his dilemma.
But then, Edmund was running away from his own home, wasn't he?
He would not judge Father Brennan for his nightly hobbies, then, especially not while the man was actively helping him.
Even in the pale light on the street, the place looked... extravagant. Expensive. The boy paused for just a heartbeat as it was pointed out to him, doubt and guilt building up in his stomach. There must be a cheaper place nearby, right? Edmund couldn't let the Father spend so much on him and his sister and sleep well right after, to matter how tired he was.
Before he could object, though, Father Brennan asked him a question he did not know how to answer, worse than the ones before. Technically, no, he had not eaten, but he was also not hungry. Mable he knew for certain was hungry - or at least was before falling asleep. But if Edmund said that, the man would feel the need to spend more money yet on them, just to feed them. On the other hand, if Edmund said no, Mable would have to go hungry for another night.
Not for the first time that night, Edmund felt crushed under the weight of the world.
"Father," he started uncertainly, "this place looks... I don't think they'd like to have kids like me and Mable soiling their beds."
He tried to keep his tone light, though he could not judge how successful he was. Intentionally, he did not answer the Father's question, hoping to buy himself more time to solve his dilemma.
