ACT ONE ━━ CHAPTER FOUR
& Holy Water

     EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, Adaline heard the front door open and close followed by the shuffling of feet on the tiled floor. Her eyes split open, noticing the sunlight coming through her sheer curtains and then wondering who would break into a house in the daylight?

     Adaline knew there was a broom closet across the narrow hallway from her bedroom that she could reach if she quickly ran over and grabbed either the broom or mop that was nearest, having to take matters into her own hands since her father would be useless. Her bedroom door was already open in case Desmond called out for something in the night, so all Addy had to do was take the leap.

     She tried to peer around the corner to catch a view of the foreigner inside her home, and once she saw the familiar blonde hair and clothes from a few days prior, Adaline stopped.

     "Momma?"

     Betty's body twisted so quickly her purse hit the vase on the table beside the front door, making it wobble towards the edge.

     She quickly steadied it before sighing at her daughter, "Dammit, Addy, you almost made me break that."

     Adaline stepped out of her room and towards her mother, "I thought you said you were gonna be back tomorrow?"

     Betty set down her purse on the kitchen counter and began looking through what they had in stock in their fridge, "Didn't you hear, hun? We've gotta new pastor comin'. Today's his first sermon and Father asked us all to bring a dish." She sighed, "Of course we got nothin' in here."

     Adaline shook her head, "How'd you know this if you were all the way in Ohio?"

     Betty smiled, "Phones are a thing, hun. Now c'mon, let's get freshened up and get down to that deli down the street. Hopefully we won't run into nobody." Adaline watched as her mother walked past her and into the bathroom, hearing the bathtub faucet begin to run. Addy sighed, knowing it'd be at least another hour before her mother would be ready but the woman would end up blaming Adaline for their tardiness.

     She went to go check up on her father to see him still asleep, sensibly since it was only seven in the morning, and returned to her room to keep her busy in the meantime. Adaline tidied her room, which didn't take long since it was almost always neat anyway, and got dressed before waiting another forty-five minutes until her mother was finished.

     "Ready, hun?"

     Adaline nodded and stood up from the kitchen table, smoothing out her skirt, "Mmhm."

     Betty nodded and grabbed her purse, "'bout time." Adaline ignored the dig as she followed her mom out of the house and into the Impala she had used the whole weekend. It was a short drive to the deli in the middle of town, and Betty was very satisfied to see only one other car in the parking lot. "Good. It's not crowded." She glanced over at Adaline, "Well, c'mon then. Let's not wait 'til Christmas."

     Adaline again ignored her mother's remark as they entered the meat store, both women freezing momentarily at the two other customers inside. Betty gave Adaline a pointed look as to say "don't make eye contact" and she focused her eyes on the wall behind the cashier instead of the back of the capped boy in front of her.

     "What you got planned after school, Arvin?" Betty watched as Emma was browsing the meat display in front of her, praying she wouldn't turn around and say anything to her. Only this boy cashier would see them, but to Betty, one person was all that was needed to ruin a reputation.

     Adaline instead watched Arvin. His hands were shoved in his pockets as he lightly swayed back and forth, getting impatient about his grandma's decision making. He was aimlessly glancing over the shelves lined with cookie and coffee mixes before looking back at the boy he seemed to have been familiar with.

     "Cliff Baker says he can get me on the crew layin' blacktop on the Greenbrier stretch off Route 60." Betty's nostrils flared as she and Adaline discreetly looked at one another again. Desmond was on that crew laying blacktop. The family didn't need another connection to them orphans, people may start to get suspicious.

     Arvin shrugged, "I'm probably just gonna do that. You?"

     "Oh, my old man's holdin' me here." He shrugged, "Better than gettin' shipped off to Vietnam, I expect."

     Arvin stepped up next to his grandma, about to make the decision for her himself, "Yeah, I suppose so."

     The cashier nodded towards Betty, "You need help findin' anything, ma'am?" Arvin looked over his shoulder and widened his eyes at Adaline, keeping his bruised knuckles hidden in his pockets.

     Betty forcibly smiled, "Yes, we're quite alright. Just waitin'. Thank you." She noticed the Arvin boy staring at her daughter like a piece of meat and took a step closer towards her, making him glance over at Betty instead. Betty was avoiding his gaze like the plague, causing him to huff out of disbelief before turning back around.

     Emma gently shook her head as she straightened up, looking over at her grandson, "Everyone says they like the way I do 'em," Arvin nodded in agreement. Emma shook her head again, "But, I—"

     Arvin sighed and motioned towards the piece of steak, "Well just give him a big steak, then."

     Betty furrowed her eyebrows before Emma chuckled, "Y'know I can't afford anything like that."

     "Grandma, quit worryin' 'bout it. He's just a preacher." Betty softly scoffed to herself as she gave Adaline a disapproving look. Adaline didn't react aside from internally scoffing, hypocrite, at her momma. "Anyway, everyone says ain't no one doesn' like you, you know that."

     Arvin nodded towards the cashier, "So chicken livers it is." The boy grabbed the tray of chicken livers and began packaging them.

     While Emma was counting the change in her palm, the boy asked Betty, "And for you, ma'am?"

     "Oh," Betty took one exaggerated glance around the meat display before tapping on the glass, "That big steak right there, please. The biggest one you got." Adaline looked over at her mother who was wearing a smug facial expression, smiling at the boy like Coal Creek's model saint. Emma glanced over at Betty once before dropping her change into the boy's hand, taking the brown paper bag in exchange.

     Arvin and Emma both said goodbye to the cashier before Arvin went to hold the door for his grandma, looking at Adaline one last time before walking away. Adaline stared at the front door for a few seconds after they left before returning her attention back to her mother paying for the steak—that they couldn't afford, but Betty always had to make a point of being better than everyone.

     "Here you go, ma'am," the boy told Betty as he handed her the wrapped steak. "Have a nice day."

     She smiled in the same manner she did towards Eli and his friends, Adaline noticed, "Aw, why thank you. You too, sweetheart." He gave Adaline a polite smile goodbye that she returned, making Betty say, purposely loud while they were leaving so the boy would hear, "Isn't he such a gentleman, Addy?" Adaline begrudgingly agreed and Betty waved goodbye to the poor boy one last time, making Addy want to go and never show her face in the meat store ever again.

     Betty Berkeley was a very confident (arrogant) woman. She thought it was publicly known that she was the best and what others strived to be. This applied to anything, including her cooking. And this steak that she was making for the new pastor? About to be the best thing since sliced bread. She would never say this aloud, but Betty thought no one else should even bother bringing a dish since hers would blow all the others out of the water.

     ...although this was for the church, not a competition.

     Desmond woke up while the two were out and got freshened up, working on tying his tie while Betty was putting the finishing touches on the presentation of the steak. Addy stood at her side in case she needed assistance, which she never did but made Adaline stand there for no reason anyway.

     "There." Betty smiled at her daughter, "Looks good, don't it."

     Adaline gave Betty a straight smile, "Mmhm."

     Betty nodded, "Alright. Desmond, sweetheart, you just 'bout ready to go?"

     He walked out of the master bedroom while straightening his tie one last time, "Ready when you are."

     Betty nodded, "Great." She grabbed her platter and led her family out to the car, "C'mon, let's not keep the pastor waitin'."

     Betty kept reminding her husband and daughter to be on their best behaviors, all the way until they parked in the lot among their neighbors. She checked her hair in the car mirror outside her door and put on her signature smile, "Okay. Let's get in there."

     The three of them all exited the car, Desmond and Betty beginning to argue about their arrival time that Desmond thought was too early and Betty thought was too late, and Adaline looked up to see a group of familiar faces a few spots away.

     Arvin opened the door for his grandma, who came out holding her plate of chicken livers before telling Arvin to remove his cap. Adaline wanted to talk to him about the night prior, but that wouldn't be possible with her parents around. Or with anyone around.

     "Adaline, hun." Addy turned towards her mother who beckoned her closer, making her follow her inside with Desmond trailing them inside the chapel. They stood in line behind the other parish members, Betty mumbling once in a while about how they should've come earlier. Emma, Lenora, and Arvin got in line behind the Berkeleys, unknownst to them, and all Arvin wanted to do was talk to Adaline. He couldn't care less about meeting some pastor he would never talk to, he just wanted to let Adaline know why he did what he did.

     And that he didn't want to do it, but that he had to.

     Arvin had lost track of time, and soon enough the Berkeleys were now in front of Reverend Preston Teagardin. He smiled at the three, first at Desmond, then Betty, then Adaline.

     His smile widened slightly at Adaline, "Hello. Fine mornin', ain't it?"

     She felt slightly intimidated since his height towered over hers, but Betty lightly nudged her daughter's arm and prompted her to respond, "Yes, it is."

     Arvin noticed that the reverend seemed to focus on Adaline the most out of the three, always talking directly to her. He asked Adaline what they had brought—although it was obvious, Arvin thought to himself—and Betty took the liberty of answering.

     "We've got a nice steak for you, Reverend. Nice and tender. My famous recipe, just for you."

     Preston raised his eyebrows, "My, well thank you."

     Betty smiled, "Betty Berkeley, by the way. Pleasure to meet you." Preston expected her to introduce her other family members but she didn't, so Desmond introduced himself as Betty's husband—which she subtly reacted to—and before Adaline got the chance to introduce herself, Preston peered down at her.

     "And you are?" Arvin gave the reverend an odd look at his eagerness to know her name. He almost sounded impatient.

     She smiled back politely nonetheless, "Adaline."

     He nodded back, "Adaline." Arvin narrowed his eyes, already disliking the newcomer. The only one in the room, apparently, since he glanced around and noticed everyone else fawning over the man. "Well, it's nice to meet you folks."

     "You too, Reverend," Betty responded, still beaming up at him. Adaline thought her mom wouldn't've left the man's side if she and her dad didn't move to the outskirts of the room, awaiting for his sermon. Betty immediately went to stand with her friends and began singing Preston Teagardin's praises despite not even knowing the man, yet everyone agreed without hesitation.

     Soon the reverend had greeted everyone and was now fixing himself a plate with an audience, each waiting for him to grab a serving of whatever thing they had made in order to get in good with him, and thus get a good word in with the Lord.

     He moved counter-clockwise around the tables, piling on whatever food had been given, and suddenly dropped his plate when he came front and center.

     The reverend raised his hand towards the congregation, "Friends...there's no doubt that we're all humble people gathered here."

     Betty nodded her head and spoke softly, "Amen."

     "Y'all have been awful nice to me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the welcome. But friends..." Adaline grew nervous about what he was about to say. "...the poor soul that brought in them chicken livers on that beat-up plate..." Adaline's eyes widened slightly, not trying to be too obvious that she was shocked at the man's words. "...let's just say I'm inspired to preach on it for a minute before we eat."

     Betty nodded in agreement, her small smile a disguise for her amusement of the humiliation of the Russells who were looking among themselves, ashamed. Arvin's narrowed eyes were trained on this bullshit pastor, waiting for what great Word of God he was about to lay upon them.

     "Sure, some of us are better off than others." Betty nodded again, keeping up her wealthy housewife act even though she was just a fraud. Preston held his hand out towards the buffet of foods, "And I see plenty of white meat and red meat laid out on this table. And I suspect that the folks that carried those platters in eat mighty good sometimes."

     Desmond nodded his head and spoke this time, "Yes, sir." He rested a hand on his daughter's shoulder and she felt embarrassment wash over her torso, all the way down to her feet.

     Reverend continued, "But poor people, got to bring what they can afford." He pointed at the platter, "So them organs, is a sign to me. Tellin' me that I should, as the new preacher of this church, sacrifice myself—" Adaline closed her eyes while Betty kept nodding along "—so that y'all can have a share of the good meat tonight."

     He picked up the plate of chicken livers, "And that's what I'm gonna do, friends. I'm gonna eat these organs, 'cause I model myself off the good Lord Jesus—" Arvin wrapped his arm around his grandmother, cursing out this preacher in his mind "—whenever He gives me the chance. And today, He's blessed me with another opportunity to follow in His footsteps."

     Betty nodded her head in amazement as the whole audience agreed, "Amen."

     Preston nodded, "Let us all now join hands, and give great thanks to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." He set down the platter and moved forward to grab the hand of whoever was closest, and Betty immediately moved forward to be at his left side. He smiled politely before Betty nodded at her daughter to take the preacher's other hand, which she did reluctantly.

     Adaline hated the feeling of his hand entrapping hers, radiating the feeling of having no escape. The rest of the congregation formed a circle inside the church, all able to see each other's faces. Adaline looked across to see Emma Russell's reddened cheeks and teary eyes, next to her grandson who was staring daggers at the man to Adaline's left.

     Preston bowed his head and began praying, "Bless us our great Lord, for these gifts we are about to receive in Your name. Thank You for teaching us sacrifice, and inspiring us to model our lives after Yours..."

     Every time he made an emphasis on a word, the reverend would squeeze Adaline's hand in place of using hand gestures while he spoke. His hands were clammy, and uncomfortably warm. Adaline didn't feel clean enough to eat with her own after she'd been contaminated. She kept her head bowed down with her eyes closed, not listening to his prayer but instead praying he'd stop dragging it out and just end it.

     "...Amen." Adaline went to disconnect her hand from his as soon as possible, but Preston kept a hold on it as he made one final statement to the congregation. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness..."

     He looked down at Adaline, nonverbally ordering her to finish the Beatitude. She knew the teaching like the back of her hand, all eight of them, but something about his eyes boring into hers distracted her. They were dark. Like the abyss of Hell was staring down at her. They matched his sullen face, resembling a fallen angel disguised as a saint. He lightly rose his eyebrows, prompting her to finish his sentence.

     Adaline felt her neighbors' eyes on her, and her mother telepathically screaming at her to not embarrass the family.

     "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness..." she repeated. "...for they shall be filled." The reverend's mouth contorted into a sinister smile at those five words, the same time the descending sun shone in through one of the stained-glass windows. The light broke through the scene of Jesus carrying His Cross, directly in the scarlet pane of His Blood. A shadow of red overcame Preston's face, and for a moment Adaline thought it was the Devil himself holding her hand, about to pull her down into Hell with him.

k i lost my writing groove & just,,, can't do it anymore but yknow what you're gonna have to bear with me while i relearn how to not sound like ive never taken an english class in my life 💘💘 i also havent updated in like forever ik but i updated now & that's all that matters 🌟🌟

also the first time i watched this movie i never realized how gross this scene is like a PASTOR is bashing ppl for bringing in the best they could do like,,,,, ok. idk where it says in the bible to bash your neighbors for bringing in chicken livers but apparently it's in the one pr*ston studied at bible school!

also eWWW i hate writing his name it gives me the creeps so i use the reverend or preacher or pastor as much as i can instead bc 🥴🥴🤮🤮🤮 nast