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Contains spoilersOverview
Lauren waited anxiously at church coffee hour for Junior, irritated over their fight and the swapped phones. Junior called from her phone and lured her to the nave, pulling her into a confessional to apologize and reaffirm he respects her work. They agreed he would tell her everything about the tracker and his claim of protecting her for ten years. While hiding from approaching voices, they engaged in risky, silent sex in the confessional, narrowly avoiding discovery when Moira and Nico Senior arrived tracking Junior’s location; Junior slipped out, and Lauren concealed herself until the coast was clear, only to be confronted by Nonna’s knowing smile.
Summary
During church coffee hour, Lauren grew impatient and angry that Junior was late and still had her phone. When an unfamiliar ring came from her purse, she found Junior’s phone displaying her number; Junior answered from her phone, told her to find him, and hung up. Lauren searched the hallways and nave, where Junior pulled her into a confessional, covering her mouth to keep her quiet.
Inside the booth, Junior apologized for losing his temper and clarified he respects Lauren’s work and never intended to trap her. He stood by his decision to incapacitate the drunk aggressor at Velvet. Lauren accepted the apology and raised her serious concerns: she had found a tracker in her purse and demanded an explanation about his claim that he had protected her for a decade. Junior promised to tell her everything soon and agreed to “no more lies.”
As voices—likely the priest and other men—echoed in the nave, Junior kept Lauren quiet, and their physical tension escalated. Despite Lauren’s anger over the tracker, she consented and they engaged in clandestine sexual intimacy in the confessional, focusing on staying silent to avoid discovery. Lauren climaxed while trying to remain quiet; Junior finished immediately after.
Their near-discovery intensified when additional people entered, including Moira and Nico Senior, who used a GPS app to locate Junior in the church. The priest approached to help, and Junior quickly adjusted his clothing. Lauren silently handed Junior his phone and took back her own.
Junior exited the booth first, claimed he had been napping, and, with the priest’s indulgent response, led Moira and Nico Senior away toward breakfast. Lauren cleaned up as discreetly as possible and waited until the nave was empty.
When Lauren finally stepped out, Nonna was waiting on a nearby pew with a knowing grin, implying she had guessed what happened and teasing Lauren about a handprint on her neck. The scene ended with Lauren flustered and Nonna amused, while Junior’s promise to explain the tracker and his past “protection” remained pending.
Who Appears
- Lauren
narrator; searches for Junior, reconciles partially, confronts him about a tracker and decade of “protection,” consents to sex in the confessional, retrieves her phone, and is later teased by Nonna.
- Junior (Nico Junior)
appears; apologizes for tone about Lauren’s work, defends his intervention against the drunk man, promises full truth soon, has clandestine sex with Lauren, evades discovery by Moira, Nico Senior, and the priest, and swaps phones back.
- Nonna
present at coffee hour and later in the nave; observes Lauren emerging from the confessional and teases her about a neck handprint.
- Moira
Junior’s mother; new to this chapter; tracks Junior via GPS, arrives in the nave looking for him, and speaks with the priest.
- Nico Senior
Junior’s father; new to this chapter; accompanies Moira, calls for Junior in the nave while tracking him.
- Priest
church priest; new to this chapter; converses nearby, approaches Moira and Nico Senior, and indulgently accepts Junior’s “napping” explanation.
- Coffee hour attendees/baseball-talking men
background group; their presence and conversation heighten the risk of discovery.