{"id":109619,"date":"2025-01-26T15:06:58","date_gmt":"2025-01-26T08:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/?p=109619"},"modified":"2025-01-26T15:07:12","modified_gmt":"2025-01-26T08:07:12","slug":"while-preparing-for-my-nieces-christening-i-met-the-man-of-my-dreams-but-i-never-expected-how-it-would-end-story-of-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/while-preparing-for-my-nieces-christening-i-met-the-man-of-my-dreams-but-i-never-expected-how-it-would-end-story-of-the-day\/","title":{"rendered":"While Preparing for My Niece’s Christening, I Met the Man of My Dreams, but I Never Expected How It Would End \u2014 Story of the Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

I rang the doorbell and waited. Nothing. I rang it again. Still nothing. Frowning, I tried the handle\u2014it turned easily. The door was unlocked.\n

Stepping inside, I was immediately hit by a wall of noise. Ellie\u2019s wails filled the house, high-pitched and relentless.\n

Sarah was darting back and forth, juggling bottles and stuffed animals with the frantic energy of someone running on two hours of sleep. Mark stood nearby, hands hovering uselessly as he attempted to soothe Ellie.
\n $\"\"$ \n

Silently, I slipped into the kitchen, grabbed a mug, and poured myself some coffee.\n

A moment later, Sarah rushed into the kitchen, her hair a mess, her face flushed. Her eyes widened.\n

\u201cOh, God! You scared me!\u201d she gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. \u201cHow long have you been standing there?\u201d\n

\u201cA while,\u201d I said, taking another sip of coffee.\n

She frowned. \u201cYou could have helped, you know.\u201d\n

I leaned against the counter. \u201cI\u2019m here for moral support.\u201d\n

Sarah rolled her eyes. \u201cYou\u2019re impossible.\u201d
\n $\"\"$ \n

Just then, the doorbell rang. Sarah straightened, her whole demeanor changing. \u201cOh, that must be him!\u201d she said, hurrying toward the door.\n

At least she heard this doorbell.\n

Curious, I followed her. As I stepped into the hallway, I saw a man standing at the entrance. A very attractive man. Very attractive.\n

Sarah smirked. \u201cClaire, are you done with your coffee?\u201d\n

\u201cSomething like that,\u201d I said, my eyes still on him.\n

Sarah gestured toward him. \u201cThen I\u2019d like to introduce you. Claire, this is Father Nathan. He\u2019ll be christening Ellie.\u201d\n

I blinked. \u201cFather?\u201d I looked him up and down. No collar. No robe. \u201cWhere\u2019s your\u2014\u201d I made a circle around my neck.\n

\u201cI\u2019m allowed to wear regular clothes,\u201d he said, amused.\n

I crossed my arms. \u201cYou don\u2019t look like a priest.\u201d\n

\u201cThank you. I\u2019ll take that as a compliment,\u201d he said, still smiling.\n

\u201cYou should,\u201d I said.\n

Sarah clapped her hands together. \u201cAlright, let\u2019s go over the details.\u201d\n

We all moved into the living room. I sat at the far end, keeping my distance from the baby. She made me nervous.\n

All babies did. Sarah and Mark discussed the ceremony, asking Nathan about traditions and schedules. I tuned most of it out.\n

\u201cSo, what do you do?\u201d Nathan asked, turning to me.\n

\u201cOh, I own an art supply store,\u201d I said.\n

\u201cYou\u2019re an artist?\u201d\n

\u201cNo, but I sell materials for artists. Without me, they\u2019d be nothing,\u201d I said.\n

He laughed. A real, warm laugh.\n

For the first time all day, I felt seen. The meeting went on, but Nathan and I kept talking. Jokes, small talk, teasing. It felt easy. Familiar.\n

When we were both in the entryway, getting ready to leave, he asked, \u201cWhy aren\u2019t you the godmother?\u201d\n

\u201cBabies scare me. And kids.\u201d\n

\u201cOh, I understand. Me too.\u201d\n

\u201cBut you\u2019re\u2014\u201d\n

\u201cThese will be my first christenings. I just hope I don\u2019t forget that babies can\u2019t swim,\u201d he said.\n

I laughed. \u201cThat\u2019s an honest answer.\u201d\n

\u201cLying is a sin. And He sees everything,\u201d Nathan said, pointing to the ceiling. He hesitated, then added, \u201cI\u2019d love to see you at church sometime.\u201d\n

I swallowed. \u201cOh, I wouldn\u2019t call myself particularly religious.\u201d\n

\u201cWell, if you ever feel like it, I\u2019ll be there,\u201d he said.\n

And I don\u2019t know why, but I listened to him.\n

That Sunday, I found myself sitting in a wooden pew, surrounded by families, older couples, and a few scattered individuals like me.
\n $\"\"$ \n

The church smelled of candle wax and old books. I folded my hands in my lap, unsure what to do.\n

Nathan spoke with ease, his voice warm, his words thoughtful. He told stories, made people laugh, yet never lost the meaning behind his sermon. People seemed to like him\u2014and oh, how I understood why.\n

Nathan was impossible not to like.
\n $\"\"$ \n

After the service, I walked toward him.\n

\u201cSo, you actually came,\u201d Nathan said, smiling.\n

I nodded. \u201cYeah. It was\u2026 different. In a good way.\u201d\n

\u201cGlad to hear that. I try not to make people fall asleep.\u201d He grinned.\n

\u201cWell, you kept me awake,\u201d I said.\n

\u201cWould you like some coffee or tea?\u201d he asked.\n

\u201cI\u2019d love some,\u201d I said, and he led me to his\u2026 office? I wasn\u2019t sure what they were called.
\n $\"\"$ \n

That day, we talked for hours. The conversation flowed so easily\u2014about faith, the church, people, and life in general.\n

Nathan listened without judgment, spoke with honesty, and made me think in ways I hadn\u2019t before.\n

I felt more comfortable with him than I had with anyone in a long time. That should have been a good thing, but it wasn\u2019t.\n

He was a priest. And it killed me to know that he was a priest\u2014that I could never have a real relationship with him.\n

Still, I kept coming back. Almost every day, we found something new to talk about.\n

One day, we sat on a park bench, the sun warm against my skin. Talking to Nathan felt easy, natural.\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t get married. What would you do if you liked someone?\u201d I asked, glancing at him.\n

He smirked. \u201cI\u2019d invite her to my services, talk to her, agree to christen her niece, and hope she leaves me alone.\u201d\n

I smiled, feeling my cheeks heat up. \u201cAnd if you fell in love with someone?\u201d\n

Nathan\u2019s smile faded. He let out a slow breath. \u201cThe path I chose requires me to devote my life and love to God.\u201d\n

I swallowed hard. \u201cI could never do that.\u201d\n

Nathan turned toward me. \u201cThat\u2019s why talking to you is good for me. You challenge me. You make me question things.\u201d\n

His eyes met mine. My heart pounded. And then, without thinking, I kissed him.\n

For a moment, he kissed me back. Warm. Certain. Then, suddenly, he pulled away, his face pale.\n

\u201cNo, this is wrong,\u201d he whispered. \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d He stood up and walked away.\n

I sat frozen, watching him disappear, feeling like I had just lost something I never really had.\n

The next day, my phone rang early. Sarah\u2019s voice came through, shaky and rushed.\n

\u201cClaire, he backed out! Nathan won\u2019t do the christening. It\u2019s tomorrow! What am I supposed to do?\u201d\n

I gripped the phone tighter. \u201cWhat? Why?\u201d\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t say. Just told Mark he couldn\u2019t do it.\u201d\n

I closed my eyes. I knew why. This was because of me. I tried to calm Sarah, but she was too upset.\n

After hanging up, I went to the church. Nathan wasn\u2019t there. No one knew where he was.\n

That evening, a knock at my door startled me. I opened it and froze. Nathan stood there, his expression unreadable.\n

\u201cYour sister gave me your address,\u201d he said. His voice was quiet, but his eyes held something heavy.\n

I stepped aside. \u201cCome in.\u201d\n

He walked in, standing awkwardly in the middle of my living room. I crossed my arms. \u201cSarah is panicking. You need to do the christening.\u201d\n

Nathan sighed. \u201cI already agreed. My conscience wouldn\u2019t let me refuse.\u201d\n

Relief flooded through me. \u201cGood. Then why are you here?\u201d\n

He ran a hand through his hair, looking more unsure than I\u2019d seen him. \u201cI gave up a lot to have the life I have. Years of training, sacrifice, purpose. Then you showed up.\u201d His eyes met mine. \u201cAnd now, I doubt everything.\u201d\n

I swallowed hard. \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d\n

\u201cI can\u2019t stop thinking about you. I pray, I work, I read, and it\u2019s still you. It should be Him. My mind should be clear. It\u2019s not.\u201d\n

I stared at him, unable to speak. My throat tightened, my chest ached.\n

\u201cScrew it,\u201d Nathan muttered. Then, before I could react, he grabbed me and kissed me.
\n $\"\"$ \n

I kissed him back without hesitation.\n

He stayed the night\u2026If you know what I mean.\n

By morning, I stared at the ceiling, my heart pounding. I felt warm beside him, but my mind spun.\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe you actually did this,\u201d I said, barely above a whisper.\n

Nathan sat up, rubbing his face. \u201cNeither can I.\u201d\n

We both knew what this meant.\n

It was the day of the christening. Nathan dressed quickly, avoiding my eyes.\n

He muttered something about needing to be at the church early. Then he was gone.\n

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the empty space where he had been. My heart felt heavy, but I pushed the feeling down.\n

I got ready, put on a simple dress, and drove to the church.\n

The ceremony went perfectly. Nathan spoke with warmth and confidence, his voice steady, his smile easy. No one would have guessed he was struggling.\n

Afterward, Sarah and Mark hosted a celebration. Laughter filled the house, food covered the table, and everyone seemed happy.\n

Nathan and I left at the same time. We didn\u2019t plan it, but suddenly, we were standing outside together, alone.\n

The air between us was thick with unspoken words. I knew this was it. The moment I had been dreading.\n

\u201cYou did well today,\u201d I said. My voice was even, but I felt unsteady.\n

\u201cThanks.\u201d Nathan wouldn\u2019t look at me.\n

I exhaled slowly. \u201cIt\u2019s not going to be me, is it?\u201d My voice wavered. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be Him.\u201d\n

He finally met my eyes. \u201c\u2026Yeah.\u201d\n

I let out a small, sad laugh. My vision blurred. \u201cThe funniest part of all this? I love you.\u201d\n

Nathan pulled me into a tight hug, his arms lingering before he let go.\n

\u201cThis won\u2019t last forever,\u201d he murmured.\n

I forced a smile. \u201cSo\u2026 see you Sunday at mass?\u201d\n

Nathan chuckled, though his eyes were sad. \u201cYeah. But seriously? You\u2019re banned from my services for life.\u201d\n

He turned, hesitated, then looked back.\n

\u201cI love you too.\u201d\n

Then he walked away.\n

And that was the last time I ever saw him.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While preparing for my niece\u2019s christening, I met a man different from anyone I had ever known. He was kind, thoughtful, and impossible not to like. But he had made a choice long before we met, one that stood between us. I never imagined how it would all end\u2014or how much it would change me.\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":109627,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[855],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-109619","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-story"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/screenshot_1737878470.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109619"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109619\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109637,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109619\/revisions\/109637"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}