The Ex Files by Victoria Christopher Murray

remembered how at that time, she was sprawled in front of the fireplace, resting in Brock’s arms. The memory made her turn away from her pastor again. “I woke up late.”
    Pastor Ford nodded. “How’s your mom?” the pastor asked.
    “Mom’s okay. She’s decided to spend a few more weeks in San Francisco. I miss her, though; kind of feel like I’ve lost both of my parents.”
    The pastor motioned for Sheridan to join her on the couch. She took Sheridan’s hand. “You’ve had a couple of tough years.”
    “I never thought anything could be worse than losing Quentin, but my dad…” She paused to swallow rising emotions. “I expected to be further along by now. But I don’t feel like I’ve made much progress.”
    “Give yourself time; it’s a process. In fact, I have an idea that I think will help. I want you to lead a group for me.”
    Sheridan shook her head. “Pastor, I’m not ready to go back to work yet. I can’t do a workshop…not without my dad.”
    “I’m not talking about what you were doing with your father,” Pastor Ford said, ‘’although I do want you to go back to those workshops when you’re ready. What I’m talking about is a prayer group.” Pastor Ford’s eyes shined brightly. “There are a couple of women in our congregation who could use a little extra fellowship. All of them are coping with relationships ending and you would be a great support leader.”
    Sheridan shook her head. “Pastor, I am definitely not the one for this.”
    The pastor frowned. “Why not?”
    Sheridan paused. How could she explain it all? First, it wasn’t like she had a handle on her own relationship. And most days, she was besieged by so much grief, she could barely breathe. And then there was the question of how she could lead anyone in prayer when she was struggling to stay out of Brock’s bed. “I’m just not the one,” was all she said.
    “You are, Sheridan.”
    Sheridan twisted under the heat of her pastor’s stare. She held her breath and waited for Pastor Ford to see the truth inside her, then stand up and declare that she was a perpetual sinner.
    “Sheridan,” the pastor began, and Sheridan waited for the gauntlet. “Often, it’s during our difficult times when God uses us most. He takes our transgressions and turns them into testimonies.”
    She knows everything I’ve been doing .
    The pastor continued, “We all fall short, but if you recognize, confess, repent, and pray, you can move to higher ground.” Pastor Ford smiled. “God wants to use you, right now, in this way.”
    If there was one thing Sheridan knew, it was that her pastor had a direct line to the Lord. She didn’t doubt her own relationship with God, but Pastor Ford had nurtured her divine connection to a level that most hoped for. If her pastor wanted her to do this, God must have had a word in it. She asked, “What is it exactly that you want me to do?”
    Pastor Ford lifted a folder from her desk. “I call this the Ex Files,” she said with a slight chuckle. “I haven’t done anything like this before, but there are three women I’d like you to pray with. What I’m envisioning actually is a support group where the women can talk honestly and not worry about being judged.”
    “You said three women?”
    Pastor Ford opened the folder. “First, there’s Kendall Stewart. Do you know her?”
    Sheridan shook her head.
    “Kendall’s the owner of The Woman’s Place.”
    “Oh, yes.”
    “Well, she’s going through a bad divorce, although she’d never admit it. But what happened between her and her husband…” The pastor shook her head. “She reminds me a lot of you.” The pastor returned her eyes to the file. “What about Vanessa Martin?”
    “I know her; her husband just passed away.”
    “The funeral was Friday.” Pastor Ford shook her head slowly. “This has been especially tough because Reed committed suicide. Vanessa seems like she’s handling it, but I feel like she needs to have