Page 154 of Sinful King
He looked away and I dropped my gaze, grateful for the hands that reached for mine from both sides of me.
Blake was right about one thing, I was blessed beyond measure.
“With that being said, who’s ready for the word?”
The energy in the room had shifted; I could feel the presence of the Lord before he spoke the name they’d come to see.
“Your interim pastor, Darragh O’Sullivan Senior.”
He took a step back as the formidable man stood, bible and notebook in hand, and stepped in front of the podium.
“Follow me to the book of Roman,” he started, getting straight to it. “Chapter eight, verses eighteen through twenty-one.”
I flipped my bible open and shared with Violet and Gianna as he read the New International Version.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”
Darragh took a deep breath in the mic, his eyes closed. When he released, his gaze drifted around the congregation.
“Today I want to talk about theultimate goal.”
Immediately my eyes began to water and he hadn’t even started.
Roman 8:18-21 was a testament of my life in so many ways. The pain, the heartache and abuse was all meant to lead me to the love of my life, to his family who filled three pews just to support him.
The ultimate goal was true liberation.
True happiness.
A stronger relationship with God, his people and word.
I believed.
I felt liberated.
My husband glanced back at me and I smiled, a genuine smile—one he’d been putting on my face for sixteen years.
And I was so goddamn happy.
epilogue one
SEAN
THE UNFINISHED TATTOO - THREE MONTHS LATER
“What does it mean?”Brynn asked, her curiosity growing by the day.
My grandda showed up unannounced three hours ago with his tattoo equipment in tow. The second I’d pulled my shirt off and sat down in front of him, she was on us, asking every question she could think of.
And the patient man I loved deeply, answered every one of them.
“The deer symbolizes a lot,” he said. “Many different meanings depending on the culture. In this instance, it’s meant to represent longevity and peace.”
She hummed as if she understood exactly what he was trying to convey.
“Longevity in everything you choose to do in this life, no matter what it is” he added. “Peace with what comes from those choices. Do you understand?”
I wasn’t looking at her but I sensed that little face scrunch when she was in deep thought.
