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"Lynne, are you all right?" He placed a soft hand on the young wo husband five years before, and they had christened two children in the church "Nothing wrong with David, is there?"

Tear-filled eyes blinked up at him "Do you have time to hear my confession, Father?"

"Of course Givewhile Carwyn entered the small, wooden confessional and took a seat on the bench

Father God, if you’d like gie’s heart to get me a cushion for this wretched bench

He settled in and soon heard the other door open He slid back the tiny screen and listened to the familiar refrain

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned It’s been two months sincesins…"

The poor girl was pregnant again And though her heart loved the child, her husband had lost his job and she despaired of how they would e to pay their bills when they could barely afford to pay their ith two sirl, whose husband was a proud, but good, irl’s confession of anger and resent joy at the co new life Her sharp words to her older children

By the time she had finished, his heart was heavy, and he knew he’d be seeing another fa man, who he kneas a steady worker, but it wouldn’t be in the valley The jobs were all leaving, along with the people

"Go in peace, Lynne," he told the young woether

"Thank you, Father It always helps to talk to you"

He saw her cross herself, stand, and leave Shortly after, a ed man slipped into the booth He must have come in after Carwyn had started with Lynne

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned It’s been six months since my last confession, and these are the sins I have coain

I was unfaithful to hts

I spoke hateful words to ered ed, humanity did not The sins he had heard in the days of carts and horses were the same committed in the time of corew, then died Sin and anger, love and life remained the same As powerful as he was, there was so much Carwyn knew he could not control Oftentiht But he could comfort He could advise And as his beloved sire had admonished him a thousand years before, he could have a purpose

But Caras beginning to wonder if his purpose needed to change The co It was inevitable

Shortly after the nized the step and smiled

"You the last one, Davina?"