Three

     Marina hadn't expected to run into Arvin again so soon, but the whole town had kind of run rapid after hearing about the arrival of the new preacher.  Marina hadn't even had a chance to hear the explanation for the need for a new one yet, but her momma did give her a pretty penny and left her in charge of finding a dish to bring for the next sermon.  Which Marina had responded to with a scoff.  She hardly went to church as it was, now she needs to bring food to be sharing?

     It would make sense then that Arvin would open the door for his grandma then, the older woman nervous herself about what she would make and bring on a platter to be lined up on a table with a couple of dozen others.

     Marina knew all she needed to about Arvin, just like he did about her.  He and Lenora were only related by marriage, the matriarch adopting her a bit before she took in Arvin.  It didn't matter, seeing as Arvin treated Lenora as if she were his sister anyways.  Marina didn't understand why so many people thought it was weird.  You didn't have to be blood to be family.

     Whatever happened to Arvin's parents, Marina decided, had obviously shaped him into the young man he had become.  She knew a thing or two about that, her own mother being a pain in the young girls' arse after her father up and left the three.  It only got worse when her brother Leo went missing.  She didn't like to point fingers, but if she did, it would land back on her mom each time.

     "What you got planned after school, Arvin?" a man in the food shop asked Arvin, Marina heard as she stood by the window browsing at the pastries.  She knew sweets wasn't what she came for, but she couldn't help herself.  One day, she'd be able to bake the best cakes in the state, she swore.

     "Cliff Baker says he can get me on the crew laying blacktop on the Greenbrier stretch off Route 60," Arvin replied in that heavy accent of his.

     "Yeah," the man nodded.

     "I'm probably just gonna do that.  You?"

     "Oh, my old man's holding me here," he said but didn't sound like he was complaining.  If that were Marina he had asked, you would have been able to tell how annoyed she was.  "Better than getting shipped off to Vietnam I expect."

     "Yeah, I suppose so," Arvin agreed.

     Meanwhile, Emma Russell was at the counter, contemplating her options.  "Everyone says they like the way I do them, but I—"

     "Well, just get him a big steak then," Arvin cut her off with a smile.  They both chuckled.

     "You know I can't afford anything like that," she insisted.

     "Grandma, quit worrying about it," he said.  "He's just a preacher.  Anyway, everyone says ain't no one doesn't like you, you know that.  Hey—" he spoke up, catching Marina a little off guard as she was standing closest to him.  When she raised her gaze, she saw that he was looking directly at her.  "What do you think of my grandma's chicken livers, hm?" he raised his eyebrows.

     Marina nodded.  "Only time I'll eat livers," she insisted.  As if seeing the look in Arvin's eye, a question asking if there was a way she could sell it a bit more, she continued.  "Best I've ever had, swear on my me-ma's grave."

     They seemed pleased with this answer, his grandma finding more confidence in her cooking.  "So chicken livers it is."

     "I already don't like this," Marina found the words leaving her mouth as she held onto the dish in her outstretched hands.  She was speaking to her mother, church being practically the only time the two were seen together — most of the town already forgetting they were family.  And that was saying something since Marina's mother looked nearly identical to her.  The only thing evident that the two weren't twins was the wear and tear of Marina's mom's face, the dark circles under her eyes being the thing that stood out the most.

     "Would ya quit whining already," her mother grunted, eyes scanning the crowd in front of her for any sight of the new Reverend.  Marina could really care less.

     Yet again, catching sight of Arvin in a crowd proved easy.  Except for this time when she laid eyes on him, they shared a smile.

     "Hello there," a man in a white shirt with slightly tossed hair smiled as he approached Marina and her ma.  "My name is Reverend Preston Teagardian."

     "It's nice to meet you, Reverend," Marina's mom smiled.

     Marina rolled her eyes.  Dear Lord, she thought.

     "Mind if I sit?" Marina asked, catching the attention of Lenora, Emma and Arvin at once.  She was standing in the same pew as them, she might as well sit, but she wanted to still ask anyway.  Besides, she didn't want to taint their reputation, especially not that of Emma's, by pretending they were friends.  "My momma's still making her rounds and quite frankly, I've had my share of town gossip for the day."

     Lenora smiled, being the first to speak up.  "Of course, Marina."  God that girl had the most forgiving heart.

     Marina sat down, sharing an awkward nod with Lenora.  She could hear Emma sigh from the seat over.  "All right.  My heart's in my stomach.  That hat.  You know better," she quietly scolded Arvin, swiping the hat from his head.  When Marina glanced over, she could see he was a bit annoyed.

     "Friends..." the Reverend cleared his throat.  "There's no doubt... we're all humble people gathered here."

     "Amen," a few people said in agreement.  Her mom had since found a seat on the opposite side of her but was still at a reasonable distance.

     "Y'all have been awful nice to me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the welcome.  But friends... the poor soul... that brung in them chicken livers on that beat-up plate... let's just say I'm inspired to preach on it for a minute before we eat..." he said, bringing Marina to form a knot in between her eyebrows.  Did he really just say that?  "Sure... some of us are better off than others.  And I see... plenty of white meat and red meat laid out on this table.  And I suspect that the folks that carried them platters in eat mighty good sometimes."

     "Yes, sir," a random man agreed.  Marina wanted to punch whoever said that.  She looked at her mom with wide eyes, in disbelief over what she had just heard.

     "But poor people..." Preston dragged.  "Got to bring what they can afford.  So them organs... is a sign to me... telling me that I should, as the new preacher of this church, sacrifice myself so that y'all can have a share of the good meat tonight.  And that's what I'm going to do, friends.  I'm going to eat these organs.  'Cause I model myself on the good Lord Jesus whenever he gives me the chance.  And today... he's blessed me with another opportunity to follow in his footsteps."

     Where her peers were quick to reply, "Amen" Marina shook her head.

     "These people actually agree with this shit?" she turned to her mom again.

     "Language," her mother sternly said.  Marina scoffed as they followed everyone out of the church, seeing that the Russell family gathered into the truck Arvin drove quickly without so much as a last glance.  "Ain't they a little close?" her mom asked after a few minutes of silence, the two beginning their walk back home.

     "Hm, they're family, ma.  That's what you and I are supposed to be looking like right now," Marina replied.

     "Suppose he really is a sister fucker, Mary?"

     "If there is a God, I hope he noted what just came out of your mouth," Marina looked to her mama with wide eyes.  "What is wrong with you."

     Her mom rolled her eyes and scoffed.  "You know what I mean."

     "I didn't like the way you said it."

     "Is that the company you wanna keep around ya?"

     "I can tell you right now mama, I'm worse for him than he is for me."

     Her mom was quiet for a while before gathering her thoughts.  "Suppose something wicked is going on in that house."

     "It ain't my place to say.  Besides, something wicked lurks in every house, ain't that what we need church for?"

     "Well 'cuse me... wasn't aware y'all were good friends."

     "We're not."

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