Free Goose by Dawn O'Porter

felt way too self-conscious to save anyone’s life. So I quit that. I hope I never come across anyone who’s drowning. I’ll feel so guilty watching them sink.’
    Renée giggles. I love it when I make her laugh. She is the funny one, not me. It’s always such an achievement when I crack a successful joke.
    There is a pause in the conversation. A chance for me to tell her what’s been happening in my life over the last few weeks, the side I haven’t really told her about yet. The side I know she won’t like.
    â€˜But I am going to keep going to church,’ I say.
    â€˜Another “Flo fad”?’ she says, undeterred and continuing to guzzle her fried potato like her life depends on it.
    â€˜This isn’t a fad, Renée. Not this time.’ I don’t pick up another chip. I don’t do anything to distract from what I am saying. I stare at her until she has no choice but to stop eating and listen to me.
    â€˜I believe in God. The last few weeks have been incredible for me,’ I say. ‘I go to church every Sunday, and to a friend’s house every Thursday to pray and discuss the Bible. I am learning about Christianity, and it’s changing my life.’
    Silence.
    A bit more silence, then  … 
    â€˜What
friend’s
house?’
    â€˜No one’s in particular  …  There are five of us. We take it in turns to meet at each other’s houses on Thursday nights. Well, everyone’s house except mine, because, well, you know my mum doesn’t want me having people over. But we sit around, drink tea and talk about the Bible. We pray too, which at first I thought would be weird, but I really like it. One of us says what is on our mind and we hold hands and pray for them.’
    â€˜And then what happens? Does God appear floating on a cloud with a big white beard and tell you all how to live your lives?’ she says, much more sarcastically than I was expecting.
    â€˜No, Renée, God doesn’t just appear. But we all get some clarity and it helps us focus on what is important.’
    â€˜So, what is important then?’
    â€˜Our faith.’
    â€˜Oh right, of course.’ She shrugs. ‘Well, I give it a month.’
    We sit there staring out of the window. Is she not even going to try to understand the positive effect this is having on my life? I am pleased for the break in tension when I see my friend Matt. I wave. Renée looks stunned, almost offended.
    â€˜Wait, who did you just wave at?’ she asks, accusingly.
    â€˜Matt Richardson. He goes to my church.’
    Her eyes start bulging, like I’ve taken all of my clothes off in front of her.
    â€˜Matt Richardson goes to church? But he smokes in the lay-by. And he’s weird.’
    â€˜Well, you think that people who go to church are weird, don’t you?’ I say, giving her a moment to think about that. ‘But he isn’t, Matt is lovely. Ooh, he’s coming in. And his mum is with him. Yay.’
    Renée has gone stiff, like a scared cat. Only her eyes are darting around.
    â€˜Hi Matt, hi Mary,’ I say as they come in. ‘This is my best friend, Renée.’
    Mary Richardson shakes Renée’s stiff hand, and Matt just nods at her.
    â€˜We have come in for a hot chocolate,’ says Mary. ‘We will see you later on, though, Flo? Matt is happy to be having the group at our house tonight.’
    â€˜Lovely,’ I say. ‘Enjoy your hot chocolate. See you at seven.’
    They go to the back of the café and we sit back down. I take the last chip from my bowl.
    â€˜What the hell just happened?’ Renée asks, as if I just did something really inappropriate with Matt and his mum.
    â€˜What do you mean?’
    â€˜Matt? I’m just trying to get my head round it.
He
goes to church?’
    â€˜Yep. He doesn’t want to get teased for believing in Jesus, so he has this character that