I laugh. “You’d be surprised at what goes on behind closed doors. There are plenty of things at Sanctuary that are discussed only by the Elders, and I couldn’t share them with you if I wanted to,” I say in a low tone.
Renee pouts. “Yeah, but I want to know everything! Who knew Sanctuary was so dirty, and with so many secrets too!”
I merely chuckle.
“Yeah, right? Our little congregation definitely has its filthy side, that’s all I’ll say. But back to you, honey. What brought you to Vegas? You mentioned you’re from Idaho and only moved here last year.”
Renee laughs and nods.
“Oh you, trying to avoid all the juicy stuff! But as for me, I guess it all happened on a whim. As you may have guessed, I grew up in a super religious family in Idaho, but I have itchy feet. I inherited it from my great-granddad Warren, who also moved every few years or so. So one day, I decided to pack up my bags and try something new. It was crazy because I’d never left my small town before, but within a week of making up my mind, I loaded up my car and that was that.”
“Wow,” I whistle. “So you didn’t have a job, an apartment, or anything when you landed here?”
Renee nods.
“Yup. I came with my hatchback jammed full of stuff, and stayed in a hostel downtown for the first week. But soon, I found an apartment, and my next step was to find a church.”
My eyebrows fly off my head.
“Even before a job?”
Renee nods solemnly.
“Yeah, because I was raised in a religious household. We used to go to services three times a week back home, and to be honest, I loved it. I was part of the choir, I attended Bible study regularly, and the congregation was my family. So yes, when I arrived in Vegas, one of my first priorities was to find a new religious home, and I’m lucky to have stumbled upon Sanctuary.”
I whistle.
“Wow, honey. That’s pretty wild.”
She shrugs and smiles.
“But it all worked out because not only did I fit in well with the congregation, but the church was actually looking for a secretary too. So I interviewed with Pastor Robert that very week, and by my second week in Vegas, I was hired.”
I nod.
“Do you miss home though? Your old congregation and your parents, not to mention your old friends?”
Renee nods fervently
“Oh, very much. I’ve been back a couple times, and it’s a blast because my family’s huge so I love seeing my siblings, not to mention the dozens of nieces and nephews that I have. But church has always been my extended family, and now that I’ve found a place with Sanctuary, being in Vegas is just as good as home. It’s my new home.”
I smile at her. “It’s gratifying to hear you say that, honey, because that’s why I like Sanctuary too. It’s a community and it’s important to know that we form a ‘church fam.’”
“Exactly!” Renee exclaims passionately. “You don’t find that anywhere else. My parents are happy that I’ve found this church in fact, and they’re super excited to come visit me.”
I cock my head at her, taking in her beautiful features.
“Do you think they’ll like Vegas? Doyoulike Vegas?”
She grins.
“Silly, haven’t you been listening? Fred and Maureen are going to love the city, and I definitely love being here too. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first because it’s the desert, and you know how Vegas has a reputation of being a city full of sin, but it hasn’t been like that. Life has been pretty normal, actually.”
I grin.
“Well, VegasisSin City, but it’s more than that too.”
Renee nods with agreement.