“We have to address the biblical view. The girls love you. You’ve been brilliant with them.”

“James, I mean it. I can’t. I hate the way churches portray abstinence, and I’ll be honest, I’m not entirely sure how I feel on the matter these days.”

James slumps back in his chair. “Do I need to give you the abstinence talk?”

I ignore that. “I can’t do it, James. Not the way Mrs. Sanderson wants, anyway. I won’t tell those girls that they are the sole bearers of purity and virginity and innocence in their relationships. I refuse to comment on their clothing and the sin it is causing in the boys, or girls, around them.”

“What would you say? Hypothetically?”

I release a puff of air that lifts my bangs off my forehead. “That their bodies are a precious gift from a God who loves them and to treat them as such. But there will be no pictures of aborted fetuses, no used-up metaphors, and zero shaming.”

“What if they ask you about sex before marriage?” He raises a hand at my protest. “I have to ask, Meg. I trust you, but they are going to ask, and you need to be prepared. They look up to you and will want to know what you practice.”

I feel my face flame. “I will tell them the same thing I just said. That my body is a precious gift from a God who loves me, and I treat it as such.” My throat tightens, and I can’t continue right away. After a moment, I stand, grabbing my bag. “And that they have to decide for themselves when to share their gift with someone special to them and who that special someone is.”

James, realizing I’m through, stands. “Okay.”

“Is that enough?”

He hesitates and then sighs. “I think it has to be.”

The tears are edging back in by the time I make it to Micah’s car. The evening air has a bite to it. My breath is frosty and I’m trembling, though I’m not convinced that’s not from the conversation I just had.

Micah jumps out and opens the door for me, and that’s all it takes for the tears to spill over.

He stares at me, alarmed. “What happened?”

I shake my head at first, feeling stupid. “Nothing. It was going so well. But Mrs. Sanderson”—Micah lets out a sound like a growl—“asked James when we’d be addressing abstinence and I told him I wouldn’t do that, and it just brought up all these icky feelings and I don’t know!” I wail.

Micah seems uncomfortable and unsure how to proceed. After a second, he puts the car into gear. “This isn’t the place for this conversation. Let me get us out of here.”