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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

Chapter Twenty Eight: The Missing Piece bsky.app/profile/asel...

Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-[He placed his hand upon her knee, long fingers sliding down around the inside of it.] And should you need someone to talk to about it, more appointments, or anything at all, you know where to find me. [He removed his hand and gave her a soft smile.] Everything you say is kept here, between -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-You needn’t be sorry, Evelyn, but thank you for your condolences. I truly appreciate them. You are a kind and strong woman. Should you decide that becoming Mrs. Chapman is what you desire, then he is a very lucky man. I think this particular session has given you quite a bit to think about. -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

[He didn’t recoil from her touch. He welcomed it. He wanted it. Desperately. Her small hand was warm against his skin. He waited for several seconds before he reached up, his own large hand curling around it. He gave it a bit of a squeeze, a smile on his face as he placed it back in her lap.] -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-slipped out.] I wasn’t always a priest. And even if I am, I’m also a…man. A sinner. Imperfect as we all are.

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-She…died, and I had to move on whether I wanted to or not. But you remind me of her. Your strong will, your exuberance for life, dreaming big, and wanting the most for yourself, even the way you look is quite similar, though she had dark hair. [He wet his lips and then a bit of a chuckle -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

[He nodded, a soft smile breaking across his face.] She was. Elizabeth was my wife. [He saw the way her head snapped in his direction, the way her brows lifted in surprise.] This was before the priesthood of course. [He cleared his throat and then took another long drink of water.] -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-Bringing them both over, he sat back down next to her.]

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-knew. It just sort of…came out. [He shook his head and then stood, moving over to get a glass of water. Turning, he gestured to it.] Would you like one? [He poured himself a glass, hearing her answer. He downed the water, poured himself some more, and then filled another glass for her. -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

[He was going to speak up when she said her name. Only then did he realize his mistake. He’d called her Elizabeth. His brow furrowed, his gaze dropping to the floor. He brought a hand up, fingertips rubbing against his forehead.] I apologize, Evelyn. It’s just…you remind me of someone I once -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-these questions, these doubts with Paul? I know it’s a very hard topic to breach, but perhaps if you made your hesitation known to him, the two of you could really come to an understanding. And it might not be easy or amicable, but it could be necessary, Elizabeth.

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-meant for you, am I right? [He was trying very hard not to let his own wants influence this conversation whatsoever. And that was no easy task. She was all the things he remembered. Intelligent, funny, witty, stunningly beautiful, and so very sure of herself.] Have you discussed -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

[He swallowed a little harder, trying to find the words. He tried to hold it in, but ended up chuckling.] Yes, I’d say so. There should be some excitement there, some longing and desire. [He shook his head.] Um, and this lack of it sets you to wondering if this is the man who is -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-sexual attraction and desire?

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-I’ve come across in this life have been women, some of the most intelligent as well. [He chuckled softly. When she said passion was missing, he kept his composure despite feeling a bit uncertain about his next question and whether he wanted the truth or not.] And by passion, you mean…-

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-is in the home, focusing on family and domesticity, I won’t tell you that. That’s a very antiquated way of thinking, in my opinion anyway. Even the women of the Bible…their stories demonstrate resilience, loyalty, influence, adversity, and yes, service too. But some of the strongest people -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

[He shook his head with a soft smile.] No, it isn’t wrong. You are your own person with your own mind and heart. And it isn’t that you don’t want those things, you just don’t want to rush into them, which is a smart move. And while yes, some of my colleagues might tell you that a woman’s place -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-give her the misogynistic rhetoric that she was probably so very used to.]

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-family? [He nodded as she said that Paul seemed to fulfill all the requirements on a woman’s checklist.] So then explain to me what’s missing? [She was clearly confiding in him, opening herself up, sharing her truths with him despite the possibility that he might judge her, that he might -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

[He pulled a bit of a face when she asked why wouldn’t she say yes. He had a damn laundry list of reasons for that. Her next question caused his brows to lift slightly.] And yet, what is expected of you is not what you want for yourself, am I right? You want more than just a good man, a home, a -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

- if it’s the latter, why say yes? [He raised a brow.]

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-cleared his throat, shifting a bit as she confessed that her engagement was a quick decision.] There are those who believe that time is of no consequence, that when you know, you simply know. Is that the case with you and Paul? Or are you troubled by the quickness in which things occurred. And -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

[He wet his lips, swearing that he could faintly recall the taste of her skin on them. He drew in a deep breath, trying to listen, but his senses were assaulted by the decadent smell of candied violets and vanilla. He longed to bury his nose into the soft skin where her shoulder met her neck. He -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-having a conversation. [He waited for her to nod before he sat down on the leather sofa next to her.] So, how are you feeling today, Evelyn? Did our last session give you anything to think about? Anything you’d like to discuss today?

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

[He watched as she moved toward the sofa, smoothing her dress beneath her before she sat, her legs crossed daintily at the ankles. He pointed to the cushion beside her.] Do you mind if I sit here instead of behind the desk? I’d like this to be a bit more informal. Just like two old friends -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-yet, he was as exciting as waiting for wallpaper glue to dry. 𝕭𝖚𝖙 Paul would give her a good life, a future that he couldn’t, a family that he couldn’t. Hearing the soft clearing of a throat, he looked up, seeing her standing in the doorway.] Evelyn... [He smiled, standing from behind the -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-in their first couple counseling session. They’d done the ridiculous assessment provided by the church and had discussed the sacramental nature of marriage in their first session together. Paul Chapman seemed like the quintessential nice guy, the guy who did and said all the right things, and -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

-about that fact. He hadn’t seen her since 1929, nearly a quarter of a century. A small blob of black ink was left on the page where his pen sat for a few seconds. He lifted it with a soft sigh. Since seeing her, he’d conducted services at the church and also guided her and her fiancé, Paul, -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

[His pen scratched across the paper of the notebook, scribbling down the latest in the thousands of years of his existence. He, of course, was writing about finding her again. His Anastasia, who was now named Evelyn, had come back into his life. Drawing in a deep breath, he paused to think -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 22h

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕸𝖎𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕻𝖎𝖊𝖈𝖊 “𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖋𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖜𝖍𝖔𝖒 𝖒𝖞 𝖘𝖔𝖚𝖑 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖘.” -𝕾𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖔𝖋 𝕾𝖔𝖑𝖔𝖒𝖔𝖓 3:4

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 23h

Chapter Twenty Seven: Face It bsky.app/profile/asel...

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 23h

-found a sore spot to press upon, a chink in his own armor, a weakness to exploit. He’d given Him that, and he had no one to blame but himself.]

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 23h

-vertical to horizontal position. He plopped down on the sofa. Deep down, he knew that every single thing that had transpired since 1893 had been his own fault. Had he not drawn the attention of Heaven, of God, then perhaps this endlessly brutal cycle wouldn’t have continued. But his Father had -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 23h

-stood and watched her walk away from him, her hand holding another man’s, he felt a myriad of emotions all at once. Hate, anger, jealousy, desperation, yearning, and an aching love that no matter how hard he tried, would not go away. He walked to his door, closing it and turning the lock from a -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 23h

[After making a few appointments, asking a few trivial questions, their little meeting had come to an end. The first session would be as a couple, and after that, he’d break them apart for solo sessions. Was there an ulterior motive in his actions? Of course. How could there not be? And as he -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 23h

-golden amber and chocolate still present just as they were in the 1400s.]

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 23h

-to my office? We’ll set up some appointments. We’ll get to know one another, and what I’d like to do is several couple sessions, but also a few one on ones. That sound alright with you? [His gaze moved from Paul’s dark brown eyes to Evelyn’s mossy forest green eyes, those little flecks of -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 23h

[He cleared his throat and forced a smile.] Well, you definitely want to be on the same page, so it’s wise to make sure of that. [He 𝖍𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖉 this man. Albeit, an unfounded hatred, but hatred nonetheless. He rubbed his large hands together.] I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you two follow me back -

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Mammon @aselfishdesire.bsky.social · 23h

-him back to when he was just finding his footing as a new Prince of Hell. An internal struggle of old power and new will.] We’re very grateful that you’ve decided to join our flock. But Edith also tells me that you’d like to speak with me about a bit of counseling before you two tie the knot, -

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