and always wore a smile for anyone he came in contact
with. “It’s always good to see you.” He took her hands in his and shook them
gently before motioning to a chair for her to sit in.
When she was
seated, Pastor Cullen took his seat once again and said, “So what brings you to
my office on this beautiful day?”
“Well….” Kat
felt a lump form in her throat. God, this was harder than she thought. “I—I
wanted to talk you about something that’s been bothering me for some time now.”
She swallowed hard as she looked down at her hands.
“It’s okay, take
your time.” Pastor Cullen said softly, a look of concern forming on his face.
He waited patiently for Kat to continue.
Kat raised her
head and faced her pastor with a sad smile. She took a deep breath and said,
“Six years ago, I was assaulted in my home. As a result, I became pregnant and
had a child, whom you know as Tyler.”
Pastor Cullen
sat there quietly, absorbing what he had just heard. He pulled his eyebrows
together in concern and nodded gently for Kat to go on.
“A month before
the attack, my fiancé and parents were killed by a drunk driver. I was—we
were—supposed to get married…” Kat lost her voice, hung her head, and began to
sob.
Pastor Cullen
quickly got up from his chair and hurried around to the conference table where
a box of tissues rested. He handed a tissue to Kat and took a seat in the chair
next to her.
“Thank you,” she
whispered. Her voice was shaky and her shoulders were trembling. “I—I didn’t
realize how hard this was going to be.”
“It’s okay. It’s
okay.” Pastor Cullen reassured her. “Kat, I am going to get you some water.
Just stay right here and I’ll be right back, okay?
Kat nodded, her
hands shaking. When Pastor Cullen left the office, she reached for another
tissue and blew her nose. Taking several deep breaths, she blinked her eyes
several times in efforts to clear the blurriness her tears had caused. After
she patted her face dry, she looked up at the ceiling and prayed. God,
please give me strength.
Pastor Cullen
returned with two bottles of water in his hands. Kat looked up as he entered and
gratefully accepted the drink from him. “Thank you,” she said.
“My wife is
always telling me that I drink too much coffee.” He smiled, once again taking
the chair next to Kat. “So, I’ve taken a pledge to drink more water during the
day. Besides, it’s been said that water is better for the soul.” He winked.
Kat let out a
small laugh. “I’ve always loved drinking water. Tyler likes to pour me water
from the spout in the fridge. He tells me, ‘Mommy, drinking water flushes out
the bad germs in your body’ but I think it just makes me go to the bathroom
more.”
Pastor Cullen
and Kat laughed. Feeling more at ease, Kat took another breath before speaking
again. “I’m sorry I lost it back there.”
“It’s quite all
right.” Pastor Cullen said soothingly. “You are a human being with human
feelings and sometimes you just have to unload those burdens eventually.” He
paused as he looked at Kat, his eyes kind and caring. Leaning forward and
taking her hand, he said, “I will do whatever I can to help you get through
this.”
Kat looked at
her pastor with a sad smile. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.” She opened
her water bottle and took a healthy swallow before continuing. “Anyway, Michael
and I—Michael was my fiancé. We were engaged to be married. Tyler isn’t his.
Uh—we wanted to wait until we were married.”
Pastor Cullen
nodded in appreciation. “That is admirable. Is it safe to assume it was your
faith that led you to continue with your pregnancy?”
Kat nodded.
“Yes. As angry and hurt as I felt, I knew abortion wasn’t the solution. I also
knew I couldn’t give up my baby for adoption.”
Pastor Cullen
continued to listen intently as Kat spoke. “This may sound strange, but I think
being pregnant saved me.”
“How do you
mean?”
with. “It’s always good to see you.” He took her hands in his and shook them
gently before motioning to a chair for her to sit in.
When she was
seated, Pastor Cullen took his seat once again and said, “So what brings you to
my office on this beautiful day?”
“Well….” Kat
felt a lump form in her throat. God, this was harder than she thought. “I—I
wanted to talk you about something that’s been bothering me for some time now.”
She swallowed hard as she looked down at her hands.
“It’s okay, take
your time.” Pastor Cullen said softly, a look of concern forming on his face.
He waited patiently for Kat to continue.
Kat raised her
head and faced her pastor with a sad smile. She took a deep breath and said,
“Six years ago, I was assaulted in my home. As a result, I became pregnant and
had a child, whom you know as Tyler.”
Pastor Cullen
sat there quietly, absorbing what he had just heard. He pulled his eyebrows
together in concern and nodded gently for Kat to go on.
“A month before
the attack, my fiancé and parents were killed by a drunk driver. I was—we
were—supposed to get married…” Kat lost her voice, hung her head, and began to
sob.
Pastor Cullen
quickly got up from his chair and hurried around to the conference table where
a box of tissues rested. He handed a tissue to Kat and took a seat in the chair
next to her.
“Thank you,” she
whispered. Her voice was shaky and her shoulders were trembling. “I—I didn’t
realize how hard this was going to be.”
“It’s okay. It’s
okay.” Pastor Cullen reassured her. “Kat, I am going to get you some water.
Just stay right here and I’ll be right back, okay?
Kat nodded, her
hands shaking. When Pastor Cullen left the office, she reached for another
tissue and blew her nose. Taking several deep breaths, she blinked her eyes
several times in efforts to clear the blurriness her tears had caused. After
she patted her face dry, she looked up at the ceiling and prayed. God,
please give me strength.
Pastor Cullen
returned with two bottles of water in his hands. Kat looked up as he entered and
gratefully accepted the drink from him. “Thank you,” she said.
“My wife is
always telling me that I drink too much coffee.” He smiled, once again taking
the chair next to Kat. “So, I’ve taken a pledge to drink more water during the
day. Besides, it’s been said that water is better for the soul.” He winked.
Kat let out a
small laugh. “I’ve always loved drinking water. Tyler likes to pour me water
from the spout in the fridge. He tells me, ‘Mommy, drinking water flushes out
the bad germs in your body’ but I think it just makes me go to the bathroom
more.”
Pastor Cullen
and Kat laughed. Feeling more at ease, Kat took another breath before speaking
again. “I’m sorry I lost it back there.”
“It’s quite all
right.” Pastor Cullen said soothingly. “You are a human being with human
feelings and sometimes you just have to unload those burdens eventually.” He
paused as he looked at Kat, his eyes kind and caring. Leaning forward and
taking her hand, he said, “I will do whatever I can to help you get through
this.”
Kat looked at
her pastor with a sad smile. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.” She opened
her water bottle and took a healthy swallow before continuing. “Anyway, Michael
and I—Michael was my fiancé. We were engaged to be married. Tyler isn’t his.
Uh—we wanted to wait until we were married.”
Pastor Cullen
nodded in appreciation. “That is admirable. Is it safe to assume it was your
faith that led you to continue with your pregnancy?”
Kat nodded.
“Yes. As angry and hurt as I felt, I knew abortion wasn’t the solution. I also
knew I couldn’t give up my baby for adoption.”
Pastor Cullen
continued to listen intently as Kat spoke. “This may sound strange, but I think
being pregnant saved me.”
“How do you
mean?”
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