“I’m heading to church,” Trent said, grabbing his keys out of the little bowl. “Do you want to come?”
“No, I think I’m good,” Owen said, curling himself into a ball on the side of the couch.
“Are you sure? You could learn something.” Trent walked over and angled his head so Owen could see his face.
“I don’t know,” Owen sighed. “I don’t know what to believe.”
Trent stopped to think for a moment. Then he grabbed a chair from the kitchen and sat it across the couch. He took a seat and asked, “Can we have a real conversation about religion please?”
Owen let out a painful groan. “I don’t know.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t know,” he gasped. “I wasn’t raised your way and I don’t know what I’m supposed to believe. I don’t know a thing about your religion or any other.”
“Well, that’s your own fault, ain’t it?” Trent said. “You don’t know because you never looked.”
“I’m scared to look,” Owen moaned. “What if I choose the wrong thing?”
“Now that’s impossible,” Trent told him. “It’s not like picking a car or a college. Things aren’t set in stone. You can always change it,” Trent said. “It’s all about faith.”
Owen sighed tiredly. “You should go to church. I don’t want you to be late.”
“I have time,” Trent said. “Just tell me what you’re feeling.”
“I don’t want to bother you with my problems,” Owen began to sit up. “You’re too good for that.”
“I’m never too good for anything.” Trent stood up and fiddled with his keys. “But faith can maybe help you talk about your problems. You don’t have to feel hopeless when you have faith.”
Owen thought about it as Trent headed out the door, and he kept thinking about it until Trent came home.
“I brought you something,” he said.
“If it’s a rosary, I’m going to cry,” Owen whined, still curled in a ball, and his wet red eyes looked up to see Trent’s gift… A book on the world’s religions.
“You got this at church?”
“Nah,” Trent laughed. “I got it at a bookstore two blocks over.” He handed over the worldly tome. Then he sat next to his friend. “Whenever you’re ready to talk about faith, I’ll be ready.”
Owen sniffled, grinned and mouthed a simple blessing. “Thank you.”