“She can walk, no?”
Mrs. Donovan’s voice shoots through the entryway behind us.
I let go of Samuel so I can walk myself, but he pulls me back onto his hips and holds me tighter.
“Yes, shecan. Ichooseto hold her.” He kisses me on the cheek.
Mrs. Donovan comes to join Mr. Donovan’s side, her face looking as if she ate something sour.
“Your mother is right. Let the girl walk. You’re a big girl, right, Eden?” He winks at me, and I nod to him. “You’ll have plenty of time with her later.”
I look at Samuel, waiting for him to put me down, but he doesn’t.
“I’ll carry her to the car if I feel like it, Father. When we get to the Divine’s cathedral, she can walk by herself.” He places his forehead on my head, taking a deep breath in. “Till then, she is mine.”
* * *
We get to the cathedal, cath-dreel—however you say that word. It’s a big building with pointy tower thingies. The whole place is built out of solid white stones, but as we walk up the stairs, I see the walls glittering in the sun, and I smile.
The room we enter is big. Doors are open on the back wall, and they show an even bigger room.
Samuel holds my hand, and my little feet try to keep up with his long legs. He takes such big steps. I want to keep looking at everything around me, but it’s hard when I’m walking so fast. This place is like nothing I have ever seen before, but it looks like everything else here in Everton. It’s all so clean and neat and perfect.
We walk through two giant doors. Is this a room? It feels too big to be calling it just a room, but I don’t know what other word to use. There are rows and rows of chairs here, all of them looking the same way. People are walking in just like us and sitting.
Samuel is pulling me along and is, sometimes, smiling at me. He looks like he is trying to see if I’m okay. He looks excited to see me looking at everything. Howcan I not? It’s all so much, and I feel like I am missing some things, even as I try really hard to look around.
I see Samuel heading for a little staircase to a stage that has four chairs and a tall-looking table. He is about to take the first step up when I pull away from his hand. I look back over my shoulder to the chairs everyone is sitting in.
Do they want me to sit up there in front of all these people?
I hear my heart beat louder in my ears. My palms feel sweaty.
“Hey.” Samuel picks my hand back up. “It’s okay. I’ll be right next to you the whole time.” He kisses the top of my hand, and I wish he could pick me up again. “Take a deep breath for me.” I suck in air and let it out. “Good. You trust me?” I nod to him.
I do trust him. He might be new to being my brother, but it doesn’t stop me from letting myself trust him.
He smiles, pulling me up next to him so we can take the steps together. We sit on the chairs.
Mr. Donovan steps forward, walking toward the tall, little table. His footsteps are loud in the quiet room.
“Hello, children of the Divine. I hope you are all feeling blessed today.”
His voice booms through the room as he talks into a tiny tube on the table. It must be a microphone with how loud his voice is.
I look into the crowd, and my palms are still sweaty. I have never been in front of people like this. I have never been in front of a crowd.
Samuel squeezes my hand, and it helps.
The whole thing feels like forever. Mr. Donovan talks for a really long time. I have to cover my yawns. My blinks are growing heavy. I try to blink harder so I don’t fall asleep.
Samuel silently laughs at me when I almost fall out of my seat because I started to fall asleep.
The talking is done, and everyone has a quiet time when Mr. Donovan says the prayers to the Divine. After that, it is over.
We didn’t stay to talk to anyone and drove back home.
I think I fell asleep because, when I open my eyes back up, Samuel is carrying me like a baby and laying me down in bed. I peek my eyes around and am confused when I see it’s his room, not mine. I feel him lay on the bed next to me, pulling me so my back lays against his chest.
