More to Life ✔

Chapter 28 Cathedral Visit

Photo credit: The Wandering Angel from Flickr

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Rialoves2cook: I explored Bangkok's Chinatown today and found some amazing noodles in beef broth! Not cooking every day is letting me get some great tastes of this wonderful culinary city, and I'm loving it! I can't wait to visit again and try more. I also spent an inspirational morning with Father Michael at Assumption Cathedral. Thank you for the wonderful sermon.

#culinaryadventures #churchesofBangkok  #Rialoves2eat #Chinatown #foodspiration

Posted: November 3, 8:40 PM

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After Maria locked up her apartment Sunday morning, she spotted Mitch on a chair in the hall, staring at the skyline with a coffee in hand.

"How'd your chat with loverboy go?" he asked.

"He agreed to it."

"Wow, what a generous guy. He'll give up leading you on until he breaks up with his girlfriend."

Maria readjusted her purse. "I don't need your judgement."

"You're right, I'm sorry. Where are you going this early?" he asked.

"To church."

She expected another sarcastic reply and for the conversation to end there, but he added, "Which one?"

Maria furrowed her brow. While she'd memorized the directions and saved them on her phone, the name of her destination escaped her. After searching her history, she found a picture of a Gothic-style building.

"Assumption Cathedral," she read and showed him.

Looking it over, he scratched his head. "Daniel and Sunshine visited it."

Both Maria and Sunshine had strayed from religion as they grew older, but it was odd Sunshine returned before Maria did. Maria had been more devout than her cousin, who usually sneaked out of church.

"Have you been?" Maria asked. Not that he seemed like the religious type, but he was full of surprises.

Mitch shook his head and took a sip of his steaming coffee. It didn't smell strong enough to be brewed—probably instant—which curbed her craving. Was he judging her like Adrian when she'd unintentionally brought it up yesterday?

"You only go for weddings and funerals, right?" she joked, using the line that Adrian and his friends often did when religion came up.

For the briefest second, he froze with wide eyes before the smile returned to his face. "Something like that." His attention drifted back to the city, almost searching for someone.

The soft look in his eye made her add, "It's open to anyone."

"Maybe next time. But I hope it helps you figure out what you need."

Her gaze remained on his vacant stare and the way his hand brought the cup to his pinched face like an artist's brushstroke. Something lingered there, something her brain warned her to ignore. There was effort to his carefree attitude. She took off to catch her bus to the Bangkok Skytrain.

Past the train windows, apartment buildings climbed into skyscrapers, and billboards for clothing, jewelry, and the newest electronics appeared. More people boarded at each stop until they surrounded her seat, grasping at the metal handrails. A young foreign couple sat nearby, sneaking kisses despite the glances of other passengers.

Maria listened to the bilingual announcements instead of whipping out her phone. If she wanted space from Adrian, it also meant distancing herself from her past texts and photos.