Get a boring, normal job
I was sure she expected me to chalk it up to sarcasm, but the thing about Gypsy was that she needed those boundaries. She craved them even though she couldn’t admit it to herself. When I looked at her, I saw the broken little girl who never had a chance to have those things. She’d been taking care of herself and Birdie so long that she had no idea what it was like to let someone take care of her. It was time she finally learned.
“I enrolled you into the GED program,” I told her. “You start on Monday.”
Her face blanched. “But what about work?”
“That was just a stepping-stone. You need to focus on school now.”
“I don’t want to go to school,” she protested.
I held out my hand. “Come here, pet.”
She hesitated, though ultimately gave in, coming to stand in front of me. I handed her back the list. It should have been the end of it, but I knew what I needed to do. And also, what I wanted to do. I pulled her into my lap, and she gasped.
“You did good,” I praised her with a featherlight touch against her arm. “I like it when you do what I say.”
She swallowed. I wanted to kiss her, but I didn’t. I needed to have some self-control because once I started, I wouldn’t stop.
“What are you afraid of?” I asked.
“Nothing,” she answered quietly. “I just don’t want to go.”
“You’re an intelligent girl. It’s time you put that intelligence to use.”
She looked away. “What good will a GED do me?”
“It’s a start,” I said. “And then you can take the next step, whatever that may be.”
She was quiet, and I doubted she’d accepted it that easily, but regardless, she was done arguing about it for the time being. I adjusted our bodies and narrowed the gap between us, resting her head against my shoulder. Her body was far from relaxed, but she didn’t move. Not even when I played with her hair.
Not even when I kissed her forehead.
“FORGIVE ME,FATHER, FORI have sinned.”
“How long has it been since your last confession?” Father Hawk asked.
“I think you know.”
There was silence, and then he shifted, bowing his head forward. “How are you?”
He never addressed me by name because I’d never given it to him, and he had never asked. I liked the anonymity of it at first, but I didn’t anymore.
“What’s your first name, Father Hawk?”
I wasn’t sure if he was supposed to answer, so I was surprised when he did.
“Cristian.”
I toyed with the rubber band between my fingers, snapping it against my skin to ease my nerves. “My name’s Gypsy, just so you know.”
I figured it didn’t matter at this point if I revealed at least that much. Lucian already knew my secrets anyway, so there was no running anymore. Not really.