Chapter 24

Father Leo stood up. He took his wallet out of his pocket, and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He handed it to Matthew. Matthew looked at it then up at Father Leo.

“Open it,” Father Leo said.

Matthew unfolded the paper. It was an old photograph, faded with age, of two young men. They stood arms around each other, cheeks pressed together, smiling for the camera. Matthew looked at Father Leo, who’d seated himself next to Matthew again. He took the paper from Matthew, looked at it, and smiled wistfully.

“We were young, in seminary, and—in love.”

Matthew looked from the old priest’s face to the photograph and back again.

Father Leo was still looking at the picture. “We struggled, prayed, and in the end I was ordained, and he—well I recently heard he’s been married to a fine man who has been his partner for many years.”

Matthew didn’t know what to say.