Joe Dillard - 02 - In Good Faith Read Online Free PDF Page A

his back, smiled, and went into baby-speak as he gently and efficiently went about the task: “Are you Daddy’s good boy? Yes, you are. Daddy loves you. Can you say ‘Daddy’? Daaah-deee? You have to say Daddy before you say Mommy .”
    Elias grinned.
    “Yes! That’s my boy. You’ll be saying it soon enough.” Bjorn lifted the child into the air and kissed him on the cheek. “Let’s go find Mommy.”
    As he started back down the hill towards the restroom, he noticed that a green Chevy Cavalier had pulled into the parking spot beside his van.
     
    Bjorn saw them when he rounded the corner near the restroom to check on Else and Anna. He stopped short. Two of them, both males, were dressed in black from head to toe. Their hair was black and they’d covered their faces in white pancake makeup. There was also a tall female, a redhead who was wearing a tight pink miniskirt, a white blouse, black fishnet hose, and shoes with spiked heels. She was speaking to Anna, who was holding Else in her arms, while the others lingered a few steps away. At first glance, the redhead was attractive, with sharp features and full lips. Bjorn noticed a small tattoo on the side of her neck. It appeared to be a cross, but it was upside down.
    “What a beautiful child,” the girl said in a kind voice as Bjorn moved closer.
    “Thank you,” Anna said.
    “I’d like to have a beautiful child like her someday. What’s her name?”
    Else buried her face in her mother’s shoulder. Anna smiled. “She’s shy. Her name is Else. Can you say hello to the nice lady, Else?”
    Else turned towards the girl and lifted a tiny hand.
    “What’s this?” the girl said.
    “It’s a Hershey’s Kiss,” Anna said. “She’s offering you a Kiss.”
    “Is everything all right?” Bjorn said as he cautiously approached. It was hard to tell with the makeup, but the two males appeared to be young, maybe twenty or so. One was tall and lanky, the other short and muscular. Both had small silver rings in their pierced eyebrows, ears, and lips. The redhead was wearing a black spiderweb necklace, and the boys wore T-shirts that sported goat heads and pentagrams and advertised Satan. Bjorn immediately assumed that this meeting was destiny—God had afforded him a perfect opportunity to attempt to spread his new faith.
    “It’s a beautiful evening, isn’t it?” Bjorn said.
    “Yes,” the redheaded girl said, “beautiful.”
    When she looked at Bjorn, he noticed something unusual. Her eyes. Heavy black eyeliner set off eyes that were different colors. One was a brilliant blue, the other green. Bjorn had never seen anything like it.
    “May I ask you a question?” Bjorn said.
    She looked at Bjorn suspiciously, but nodded slightly.
    “Are you satisfied with your relationship with God?”
    The girl stiffened. Bjorn heard one of the boys gasp.
    “And how could that possibly be any of your fucking business?” the girl snarled. She turned her head to the side and spit on the ground.
    “I’m so sorry,” Bjorn said. The smile on his face remained fixed. “I’ve offended you.”
    “You’re goddamned right you offended me,” the girl said. “Who do you think you are?”
    Bjorn stuck out his hand. He glanced towards the still-empty parking lot, silently wishing that someone else would come along. It remained empty with the exception of his van and the Cavalier.
    “My name is Bjorn,” he said. “And this is my wife—”
    “I don’t give a fuck what your name is.”
    Bjorn was surprised, and a bit frightened, by the girl’s anger. She ignored his outstretched hand, which he quickly retracted. Her eyes were locked onto him, and as he stood looking at her, he suddenly felt cold. He shifted Elias to his other shoulder.
    “Please,” Bjorn said. “The last thing I wanted to do was upset you. Perhaps we could go up to a table over there and sit and talk for a little while.”
    The girl seemed to relax a bit. She turned and smiled at her companions, then