Jenna Goes to Church Ch. 06

Reverend Morris anxiously paced back and forth in the lounge. He was in turmoil; he'd just received a letter from Bishop George, who was planning to visit him. On top of that, he'd been agonising all day how to finally tell Lucy that their marriage was over. The past few weeks had seen his safe and somewhat dull life turned upside down. Ever since that romp with Jenna Fox in the vestry. What seemed to be a wild, one-off had now morphed into a passionate relationship. Now the vicar was seriously falling in love with the much younger woman.

And what about Christopher? His four-year old son had just started school. Now a way would have to be found to gently break the news that Mummy and Daddy would no longer be living together. How would he cope with that? Then there would be the gossips at church. Some of the older members of the congregation would tut and register their disapproval. A vicar of all people, a role model and pillar of the community, cheating on his wife with a woman twenty years his junior! Every week he preached about being a good Christian. Now he couldn't help but feel he was nothing but a hypocrite.

"Bishop George won't take kindly to this," he remarked. The man was known not to suffer fools gladly.

Hearing Lucy's car pull up on the drive, Reverend Morris took a deep breath. It was confession time. He fiddled with his thumbs as the front door opened.

"Hello...um, oh you're back a bit later than normal? Um, where's Christopher?"

"I dropped him off at your mum's," Lucy replied. "Simon, we need to talk. I have to tell you something really important. It can't wait."

"I...had a feeling you might say that. There's something I need to tell you too, you see I..."

Lucy took his hand and beckoned him to sit next to her on the settee.

"Simon. I've not been honest with you for some time now. It's not fair, and you have every right to feel angry. I've treated you terribly these past few years, pushing you away, shutting you out. Then six months ago...it happened. This is hard for me to explain..."

"Please tell me," Reverend Morris replied. "Is there...someone else?"

Lucy sighed. "Yes. I...I'm so sorry, Simon."

Suddenly, the reverend felt less guilty. That they'd both met other people made it more bearable. But there was still their son to think about.

"I see. Is he...someone from church?"

"Yes...but...it's she," Lucy replied.

Reverend Morris blinked. "She? Oh..."

"Debbie Adams...you know, she teaches at the Sunday school? That's why it's been so difficult. So yeah, it's 2022, but it's still hard to be gay...and a vicar's wife. Especially in a tight-knit community like St Michael's. Many nights, I have sat and prayed to God. I asked him for courage and forgiveness. For how I have sinned."

He took her hand. "I'm happy you found the courage to be yourself. And to fall in love isn't a sin, Lucy."

"You're a wonderful man, Simon. You're being so understanding about this. I've been dreading saying anything, but I needn't have worried."

Reverend Morris awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I would've supported you no matter what. Um, but I guess now's the right time to confess that I've been seeing someone else too."

Lucy smiled. "Oh really?"

"Um...you know Jenna? She goes to church. Jenna Fox?"

"Blimey, Simon. Oh yes. I've seen her. She is really attractive...not my type, but a stunner. I can see why you fell for her."

Reverend Morris' face was turning red. "I worry about the age gap though...I mean she's twenty and I've just turned forty...that's not a good look is it? Others will disapprove."

"Simon, love is love. These others you speak of will just have to deal with it."

"Bishop George won't approve. He's planning to visit me in the next few days."

"I don't think he's the monster you make him out to be. He seems pretty liberal deep down. Didn't he once have a much younger wife?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, she was called Julia. She left him for a Catholic priest."

"Ouch."

"Who was older than him! The priest was defrocked of course and he and Julia emigrated to the Costa del Sol, where they now run a beachfront bar called Unholy Orders..."

"About Christopher," Lucy began. "We should tell him together."

Reverend Morris nodded.

Another Sunday and another morning Eucharist at St Michael's. Josh the curate was at the door, welcoming the faithful. Yulia and a group of other young woman grinned at him as they went inside. Normally, Josh would've nodded and blushed, but not anymore. Today he shook their hands, smiled back and had a little chat with them. When he noticed Jenna approaching, the curate's smile widened some more.

"Hello Jenna!"

"Good morning!" Jenna said. "Nice day for it."

"Nice day for what?" Josh replied, winking at her.

"Naughty boy. Nice day for a church service of course! Looks like you have some female admirers over there," she said, glancing at Yulia and her friends.

There was a notable absence in the church - John Norris and his wife were nowhere to be seen. The gossip-mongering pensioners who sat in the front pew wasted no time in digesting this new information.

"Well I heard that he moved out for a few days. They had a blazing row at the Harvest Social."

"Margaret saw Patricia on the bus. Talk about having the wind taken out of your sails. She was beside herself."

"Best place for her. A poison-tongued harpy of the highest order! I feel sorry for John. He doesn't need that sort of upset. He's on beta-blockers. They've decided to have a few days in Wales...to try and patch things up."

"If my husband had been writing the sort of stuff like Patricia put on the Internet, I'd have told him to sling his hook!"

Tony had volunteered to read the first reading, which was from the Book of Revelation. He twitched and sniffed as he spoke, and got a little carried away as he went on.

"Then I saw coming from the mouth of the dragon, the mouth of the beast, and the mouth of the false prophet, three foul spirits like frogs. These spirits were devils, with power to work miracles. They were sent out to muster all the kings of the world for the great day of battle of God the sovereign Lord!"

"He'll have a stroke if he carries on like that," the old ladies whispered.

Tony continued. "This is the day when I come like a thief! Happy the man who stays awake and keeps on his clothes, so that he will not have to go naked and ashamed for all to see!"

Some small children sat at the front looked terrified.

"This is the Word of the LORD!"

Tony sat down. The second reading was a much calmer passage from Romans. Jenna smiled when Reverend Morris took to the pulpit, ready to deliver his sermon.

"Today, I'd like to talk all about love, forgiveness and honesty," he began. "I'm sure you've all heard that old saying. If you love someone, let them go. Why not hold onto them if you love them?

Isn't love supposed to be fighting for that person no matter what?

Through the fights, the struggles, and the pain, shouldn't we keep trying to keep the relationship going? The true meaning of loving someone and letting them go starts with being selfless, not selfish. There is another old saying. Honesty is the best policy. Ladies and gentlemen, I am going to be honest with you all today. My wife Lucy and I are getting divorced.

Several loud gasps arose from the congregation. Jenna glanced round, trying to remain composed. She shifted anxiously in the uncomfortable pew. Was the vicar going to mention her name?

"That's right. I know this will come as a shock to you all. You see, both of us have fallen for different people. Now, whilst we may no longer have romantic love for each other, we still care about each other. As you know, Lucy and I have a young son, Christopher, and his welfare is of paramount importance. Our split has been completely amicable. Lucy has moved out of the vicarage and we have agreed a 50/50 shared custody..."

Josh looked up at the vicar in sympathetic understanding, as did Gordon. Meanwhile, some of the old ladies looked to be on the verge of nervous breakdowns. Jenna's heart was pounding.

"I'm not asking for forgiveness," Reverend Morris continued. "I know what some of you must be thinking. What sort of vicar preaches about the sanctity of marriage, and seven deadly sins, the shame of sin...and lo, he has sinned himself. I won't think ill of any of you. I have spoken to God and believe he has forgiven Lucy and I."

Suddenly, Tony stood up. "Good for ya, Vicar! You're a top bloke. You helped me get off the crack. So like, I'd forgive you anything, man." He started clapping. Jenna joined in, and moments later, the rest of the congregation broke out in applause.

Sat at the organ, Gordon was clapping furiously. He noticed Jenna gazing adoringly at the vicar and gave a wry smile. "I wonder who his new woman could be?" He said to himself.

Jenna made her way straight to the vicarage after the service ended, intending to prepare herself ready for Reverend Morris. She was hornier than usual, and had much to discuss with the vicar. He'd given her a key to let herself in with.

Alone in the house, Jenna removed her conservative clothing and changed into a far racier outfit - a short black dress, with lacy red panties underneath. She was just touching up her makeup, when there was a knock on the door.

"Oh he's back already," she smiled. The vicarage was only five minutes from the church. "Guess he didn't bother to go to the church hall..."

Jenna opened the door. "I'm feeling sinful...oh! Er, hello!"

Instead of the vicar, a stern-looking man who was the spitting image of Frollo from Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame, was standing there.

"Good morning," the mystery man replied. The clerical collar, purple shirt and cross round his neck were obvious indicators that he was a church person, but Jenna had never seen him before.

"Um...can I help you...sir?"

"Is Reverend Simon Morris in?" the man replied.

"No, he's still at the church. He won't be long. Can I take a message?"

"I'd prefer to come in and wait. I'm Bishop George. The Reverend is expecting me."

The bishop? Yikes, Jenna thought. He's the vicar's boss. I'd better behave myself. She glanced at him as he entered the lounge.

At least, I must TRY to behave myself...

Bishop George sat down on the couch. "You must be the babysitter?"

Jenna was tempted to lie, but lying to a bishop felt like a great sin, so she declined. "No. I'm...a friend of the vicar."

Bishop George nodded. "Ah yes. I didn't think you were a babysitter. Seeing as Lucy and Christopher have moved out. I admire your honesty, my dear."

Jenna froze. Shit. Does he know everything? Did Reverend Morris have to confess everything to the bishop in private? Or had he been lurking somewhere in the church earlier and left before she did?

"Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Tea please. Milk and one sugar," Bishop George replied.

"Right, coming up..." Jenna turned and bumped into the coffee table, knocking some books onto the floor.

"Clumsy me," she muttered, and bent down to pick them up, exposing her red lacy panties.

Bishop George wasn't prepared for such a sight and let out a gasp.

A few minutes later, Jenna returned with a cup of tea. "Here you are, um...Reverend? I'm sorry, I don't know how to address a bishop...I've never met a bishop before!"

"Just call me George." He replied, taking the cup. "Thanks so much. You must be Jenna, yes?"

"Yes."

"I know about you," he continued. "I spoke to Reverend Morris by phone a few weeks ago, when the Queen died. There was a notable increase in his happiness, and I could tell he was really excited about something. He was eager to tell me that there'd been an increase in people attending St Michael's. The he mentioned you. Several times. And then I realised..."

Jenna sat directly opposite him in an armchair. Her legs were crossed. "What did you realise, George?"

She uncrossed her legs.

Bishop George felt his cheeks flush. She'd removed her panties in the kitchen!