Reverend Casey pencilled the entry in his diary: Monday; 0830 mass. Summers. He then looked up and smiled benevolently at Mrs Summers. “That will be ten quid, Marge.” The old woman fished in her purse and brought out an assortment of coins, counted slowly, and eventually accumulated the requested fee.
“Don’t forget them Reverend. My husband and children, God rest their soul, will be waiting.”
“They’re always in my prayers Marge, you know that…” he trailed his sentence into the remaining fragments of his smile which he wiped off when Mrs Summers left the office.
Alone, the Reverend brought out a heavy jar from the bottom drawer and dropped the coins in it filling the little remaining space. The Reverend smiled grimly commanding his glance to avoid the crucifix on his desk.
“It doesn’t matter what the intention is as long as I pray for their dead as promised,” he muttered to himself not for the first time.
#
Back home after a long day, Reverend Casey paced the empty hallway and went straight into the bedroom where white sheets covered the mirrors. He opened a cabinet and from it issued a wooden box. A paper was taped to its top and on it “Surgery Fund” was handwritten. Next to it a long list of crossed out numbers appeared on top of each other like a ladder. At the very top “£570” was written uncrossed. The reverend lifted the lid and placed the coin jar inside, where other containers of differing sizes nestled. Lowering the lid shut, Casey pulled out a pen from his breast pocket and scratched out the topmost figure, writing “£635” instead. He then placed the wooden box back in the cabinet, stood up and went to the wardrobe. He flung open the two middle doors revealing an array of dresses, evening gowns and colourful accessories. He picked a fuchsia feather boa, inhaled deeply at it and wrapped it around his neck, crumbling into tears soon after.
—
…And that is my response to this week’s Trifecta challenge where the theme was:
Intention:
3a : what one intends to do or bring about
b : the object for which a prayer, mass, or pious act is offered
I hope you liked it!
Sandra's scribbles 
I was NOT expecting that! WOW!!
Hehe 🙂 thanks
I love a good surprise. Very well written.
Thank you 🙂
Fucking amazing lmao I love it.
I’m glad you did..
Wow, is he in the wrong racket. Great job with the twist ending!
Thanks!
Terrific – You do a great job portraying his emotional struggle at the end.
I’m glad the message came across. Thanks for reading 🙂
Wow! Great story! Wow!
Thank you, I’m very glad you liked it 🙂
Well that was a lovely twist. Pun most definitely intended.
😀 thanks
Wicked yet with a surprising conflict at the very end!Being in a body which feels “foreign” must be so difficult-no wonder he was “saving” this way!What an amazing story!
Oh such comments make me blush 🙂 Thank you for reading, I’m happy you enjoyed it.
I do like your style Sandra:-)
Hehe thank you *blushing a deeper red*
🙂
Love, love, love the title!
🙂 I’m glad you noticed…
What a fantastic twist! No one would see that coming. I love that. And very nice writing!
Thank you very much Stephanie
Wow! Nice twist. 🙂
It was a pleasure having you here Jodie
Completely unexpected ending. Whoa! Nice job…not much else to say 🙂
I thank thee.. I loved yours too – A Child’s Prayer – beautiful composition. Reminded me so much of when I was his age praying that mom wouldn’t find out that I got sent to the Time-Out-Corner at school 😐
nicely done. Reads like part of a novel.?
It isn’t but it might be, who knows! Thanks for reading 🙂
Great ending, wasn’t expecting that.
😀 thanks Mike
Sandra this was so good. I loved the ending which explained the beginning. My favorite line”he trailed his sentence into the remaining fragments of his smile which he wiped off when Mrs Summers left the office.” That said it all. 😀
That’s my favourite line too. Thank you for tthe nice comment Linda, as always 🙂
Great surprise ending, and you wrote the whole thing beautifully. I like the touches of avoiding looking at the cross, and sheet-covered mirrors. at first, I thought he had the mirrors covered because he was ashamed of ripping off his parishioners for prayers, but then the boa… perfect 🙂
hehe 🙂 thank you for the nice comment. I’m happy you liked it Lexy…and for noticing all those little details…