Kimi Antonelli ¹

The young priest held the crucifix while Father Jorge said Mass. In that Italian village, faith was paramount, and Kimi knew it well. His parents had taught him the purity of chastity, and at the age of 15, he decided to dedicate his life to the Church.
Now, at 19, he helped the Father with everything related to ceremonies: prayers, distributing communion wafers, baby baptisms, etc.
That Sunday at Mass, as he held the crucifix, his gaze wandered among the parishioners until a face caught his attention. A young woman his age, seated in the middle, was looking at him intently. She wore a long black dress with a sweetheart neckline and black gloves, something inappropriate for Mass.
Kimi blushed and looked away. Who was she? And why did he feel so nervous when he saw her?