@infernil ! ( semi-plotted starter )
“ Forgive me, Miss Dobrow. I know I’m not who you expected to see this morning, I thought your family might have told you. Uh, it must have slipped their minds --- Perfectly understandable, of course! Everyone’s a bit preoccupied and getting ready for the storm, your parents included. ”
He is not a man naturally born with legs for the sea ; but as naive to island living as he still is, this fresh-faced priest at least has the good sense to offer the young lady shelter under his umbrella before offering a hand. A warm and firm grip, even despite the piercing chill of the gale threatening to blow them both away. The Nor’Easter isn’t due to bear its brute force upon them until this evening ; judging by the black waves already crashing into the docks, swelling with their rage and rattling the old pilings that make up the marina’s bones, it’s going to be just as ferocious as they all feared. The fact that The Belle could make her roundtrip this morning is frankly, if nothing else, a MIRACLE.
He makes a mental note ; He still needs to put sandbags out around the church entrances. The ancient wooden floor simply won’t survive another flood of angry salt water.
The young clergyman flashes an apologetic smile, and reaches out to relieve her of her suitcase. The Dobrows do not live terribly far from the docks. Well, no one does, on an island as small as Crockett. But any distance feels like a marathon in this rain. “ My name is Father John Pruitt--- Father Mulrooney left St. Patrick’s a little over a year ago. He’s uh, working as a Chaplain for the boys in Vietnam now. ” A crack of lightning rips across the darkened sky, and he ushers her to keep moving. Picks up his own pace alongside her.
“ Your, uh--- Your mother tells me that you were born and raised on Crockett. And that you’re quite the biologist! ” Another smile, and what looks to be a breath of relief that spills from his lips in a warm fog. The combined school functions well enough, more or less. But he has to wonder what makes someone qualified to be a teacher on Crockett. With Samantha Keane at the helm, he can’t imagine that the job description is all that discerning. “ We’re blessed to have you here. Lord knows the school could certainly use a proper science teacher. ”
