update from sparkleup

writing/sawtooth/limerent-object/prequel.md

@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@ The story of Dee leaving seminary
     * [o] Prayer
     * [o] A late night walk and conversation with God
     * [o] Decides to leave
-* [.] Act 2
+* [o] Act 2
     * [o] Confesses
-    * [.] Prayer
-    * [ ] Mentions leaving to advisor, Father Borenson is not surprised
-    * [ ] Conversation to try and figure out why without asking straight out 
+    * [o] Prayer
+    * [o] Mentions leaving to advisor, Father Borenson is not surprised
+    * [o] Conversation to try and figure out why without asking straight out 
 * [ ] Act 3
     * [ ] Left kind of dumbstruck, doesn't know how to move on
     * [ ] Prayer
@@ -159,3 +159,37 @@ But Catholicism only offered him so much leeway, and this school even less.
 Dee blinked rapidly.
 
 Rev. Dr. Borenson leaned forward, rested his arms on his desk, and fiddled with a pencil. "Mr. Kimana?"
+
+"Sorry, Father." Dee frowned down at his paws. Paws grown soft, this far away from home. Some part of his mind, the part always focused on making comparisons, realized how slender and small they were compared to his advisor's big canine mitts. "I think I was expecting a different reaction."
+
+The Saint Bernard shrugged. It was an oddly informal, almost bashful gesture. "I'm just not surprised. This doesn't feel like it's coming out of nowhere."
+
+"It's not apostasy, I have no plans of leaving the church."
+
+"Of course, Dee. I have no doubts as to your faith."
+
+"But...?"
+
+Borenson sighed, set the pencil down. "Your studies are fine. Better than fine, I'm told. Your teachers speak highly of your writing. That's only half of the program, though. You came here for an MDiv, and the end goal of that program is ministry. Your skills in scripture and apologetics, in books, are admirable, but would make for an incomplete degree. We've talked before about you heading for a masters of theology instead, but you balked at that."
+
+The coyote canted his ears back, grit his teeth, and masked his frustration as best he could. "With all due respect, Father, my concerns about a Th.M stand. Yes, I could be helping with my research and writing, but I need something more immediate."
+
+There was a pause as Borenson seemed to manage some equal frustration before he spoke. "Mr. Kimana, an education such as this requires both flexibility and devotion. Both a Th.M and MDiv would require that. Now--" He held up his paws as if to forestall a rebuttal. "I am not accusing you of lacking in either department to a level where I feel you are not a good degree candidate, but if the doubts in your head are strong enough that you feel you need to leave, I would only be doing your future vocation a disservice by trying to make you stay."
+
+Dee dropped his gaze once more. He spread his fingers, tracing with his eyes the subtle grain on the pads of his paws, the long-healed callouses. 
+
+This was a constant in Dee's life, this sort of discussion. He would research and research and research, come to a conclusion, and when he'd state what he'd learned, the conversation would go sideways. Both he and his interlocutor would wind up frustrated and stressed with no visible reason why.
+
+But this wasn't a researched thing, was it? It was, what, three? And he'd started this train of thought last night at, what, eleven? Sixteen hours was hardly the amount of time required to come to a conclusion about leaving behind a year of study and however many thousands of dollars of scholarships that had involved.
+
+No, this idea had leaped, fully formed, into his head.
+
+He focused on ensuring that his mien expressed the sincerity he felt within. He was frustrated, yes, but also confused and more than a little disappointed in himself. "I'm sorry, Dr. Borenson. I understand. You're right, too, that I don't quite have the amount of conviction I'd need for this."
+
+The Saint Bernard looked cautious, waited for Dee to continue.
+
+"I know I said so before, but I just want to make sure; you know that this is about my vocation, not my faith, right?"
+
+Borenson barked a laugh, before his expression softened. "I'm sorry. Dee, I believe you. You are one of the most devout students I have. Your decision about your degree may not have been a total surprise to me, but if you had said you were leaving the church, I think I would have called for a doctor."
+
+Dee smiled through his shame.