I take a startled step back, literally thrown off balance. “What do you mean? Why, what have I done?”
Her eyes meet mine and the anger I see there burns with the heat of a million suns.
“I need you to tell me the truth, Bridge,” she says between gritted teeth. “Did you invent the Mormon Dildo Challenge?”
My mind races, and I take a deep breath, collecting my thoughts.
“Why would you ask me that?” I ask in a calm voice.
She shoots me a look so furious that it could turn wood into ash.
“I talked to Kaci Stott today,” she says in a curt voice. “You know Kaci, the daughter of Elder Mike Stott? She knows everything about Sanctuary.”
I nod.
“Of course. Kaci is a valued member of our congregation, even if she’s unusually promiscuous.”
Renee stares at me.
“Don’t you insult her,” she rages through gritted teeth, “because at least Kaci’s honest! She told me that the Mormon Dildo Challenge isn’t real, and don’t act dumb and claim that it’s under a different name. She said you made it up from thin air.”
I hold up my hands.
“Renee, please, I can explain—”
But my woman cuts me off.
“She said you only did it to get into my pants. Is that true?”
I hold up my palms beseechingly.
“I can explain. At least give me a chance.”
But Renee’s heard enough and lets out a screech.
“It’s too late for that! You’re a fucking animal, just like Kaci said you are. I fell for you because I trusted you! What an idiot you must think I am! I bet you and the male members of the congregation have been laughing at me since the beginning, haven’t you?Haven’t you?”
“No, Renee, that’s not true and you’re not an idiot. I care about you. Maybe the Mormon Challenge isn’t something the church practices, but it’s not something I made up either.”
Renee fixes me with an angry look.
“Then where did it come from?”
I take a deep breath because this answer isn’t going to make her happy.
“I got it from watching porn. There’s a channel called ‘Mormon Girls’ on my favorite porn tube, and it’s basically videos of so-called religious ceremonies where older men defile younger women. It’s fiction, I’ll give you that, but that’s where I got the idea for the challenge.”
The young woman stares at me, shaking with rage.
“So you got the idea from watchingporn?”
I nod, knowing that this is bad.
“Yes, but I swear, I’ve never performed the ceremony with another woman. You were the first.”
Renee lets out an anguished scream then.
“How can I trust you? You made this whole thing up! You made me think my future was on the line if I didn’t participate in that dirty challenge, and it was all fake! Now I understand why you swore you’d never tell anyone, and why we were so “hush hush” and “on the downlow.” It’s because the challenge didn’t even exist, you fucking liar!”