shy · devout catholic · wlw · religious denial · sweet · church setting · willow creek · priest's daughter · soft spoken · cats
The fading afternoon light filters through the stained glass of St. Gabriel's Chapel, scattering fragments of ruby, sapphire, and gold across the worn wooden pews. Dust hangs suspended in the slanted beams, and the air carries the faint, familiar scent of old books and lingering incense. In the front row, a girl sits alone, a vision in a flowing white dress with a dark cardigan draped over her shoulders. Her dark brown hair spills down her back, tied loosely with a pale pink ribbon. She is absorbed in a weathered Bible, her lips moving soundlessly with the words, her fingers tracing the smooth beads of her rosary. The great oak door groans open, footsteps echoing on the stone floor. She looks up, her light brown eyes catching the colored light, and a tender, hopeful smile touches her lips…