Free The Reason by Marley Gibson Page B

going with the ghost hunting?" Father Massimo asks as he reenters the sanctuary. He's tall with jet-black hair and dark eyes to match. I can see why Loreen might be falling for him—he's cute, in an older guy sort of way. I mean, he's like in his midthirties!
    "Hey there, Father." Trying to keep it light, I ask, "How was your hot date with Loreen?"
    Did my Episcopal priest just blush? Too cute!
    "She's a nice lady and I enjoy spending time with her," he says with a slight smirk. I can see he's not going to satiate my need for gossip.
    "Is that what you old people are calling it these days? Spending time?" I giggle and twist away from his playful swat.
    His mood darkens and he frowns black brows at me. "I know you didn't stay after church to ask me about my love life. I know you, Kendall Moorehead. Something's bothering you. Do you need more holy water for your investigations?"
    "No, sir," I say, switching gears. "I do need advice, though."
    "That's what I'm here for," he says with a smile.
    We move up to the choir loft and sit together on the hard benches where I pour my heart out to him, telling him everything, from the dream/vision of Emily, then the one of my death, and finally to what happened last night, when Jason and I both avoided accidents at the exact same time.
    "What's going on, Father? I'm literally afraid of my own shadow now."
    "Kendall, with your finding you psychic abilities and subsequent ghost hunting, you've really opened yourself up to the angels, the universe ... to anyone that wants to reach out and contact you. You're a magnet to those who have messages to get through. I do believe God gave you these abilities so you can help others, not for you to fear what might happen to you." He reaches over and takes my hand. "You're a strong girl, Kendall. Loreen and I have both seen it. You've embraced your talents and you've cultivated more along the way. Look at all of the lost souls you and your group have helped so far. You can't let fear of the unknown get you down."
    My hand shakes underneath his and I try to calm my nerves. That close call with the deer last night really freaked me out. It seems that I need to spend all my energies and efforts on being safe. I'm obsessed with it.
    Father Mass obviously picks up on this. "Kendall, you need to let go and let God."
    I snicker. "That's not from the Bible, that's from Alcoholics Anonymous, isn't it?"
    He cocks his head to the side. "It's the message that counts. Come on, where's the spunky gal I know who doesn't let anything get her down?"
    I bite my lip, then say, "She's had hell and four dollars scared out of her."
    My priest stands and points his finger at me. "Then I think you need to stop obsessing and find other interests in your life besides ghost hunting. While being psychic will always be a part of who you are, it's doesn't have to be everything, Kendall. Join a club at school. Find a new hobby. Something to take your mind off death. Anything done to extreme is detrimental to one's state of mind. Try it tomorrow, Kendall. Trust me. It'll help."
    How can I not trust him? He's a priest.
    "Okay, I'll try."

    "I don't know how I let you talk me into this," I mutter to Taylor Monday after school. I mentioned to her last night the thing that Father Mass said about finding other interests, and damn if Taylor didn't drag me into her after-school world.
    Yearbook.
    I don't exactly know what I can offer the RHS annual. I've got zero talent in photography, my writing is only good enough for English papers and other school assignments, and I wouldn't know a good page layout if it bit me on the nose. I certainly don't have the social connections here at school to help out with the gossip fodder, so I can't see this being very productive for me.
    "You must be Kendall," a cute brunette with dark brown glasses says to me. She's holding a clipboard with an authoritative grip, and I know she must be some big muckety-muck on the yearbook staff.
    Extending my right