Page 112 of Share with Me

“Our annual Christmas dinner with only the three of us.” Brinley turned to Ivan. “Maybe you and Yun can join us?”

“Oh no. We have our own Tiny Tim dinner and are kinda busy.” Ivan smirked.

Brinley looked at Ivan, amused. “Are you all right?”

“Never been better. Would you like to go now?”

* * *

Everything seemeddifferent about Ivan at the Christmas Eve service at Seaside Chapel. Brinley wondered what had caused him to change. She sat beside him throughout the evening, but whenever she reached for his hand, he would react by picking up his iPad or the hymnal or putting his right hand over the other hand as if to hold his cast. Clearly he did not want to touch her nor did he want her to touch him. His tone had changed so abruptly from last Sunday morning when he was all lovey-dovey.

What is going on?

Brinley felt the subtle rejection. Whatever Dillon had said—

Oh.

Dillon was all about money.

It had to be the reason for this change of tone.

Now it began to affect Brinley and she couldn’t pay attention to the rest of the service.

Lord Jesus, forgive me.

Pastor Gonzalez didn’t preach this evening. The program called for a rotation among three other pastors, one from some years before Gonzalez became pastor of Seaside, one from among the current pastoral staff, and one guy fresh out of seminary. Past, present, future? Each had fifteen minutes to talk about the Christ of Christmas.

At every interval, Brinley was praying for focus.

Further distracting her was Ivan himself. She tried her best to adjust to his still untrained voice throughout all the Christmas carols and sacred hymns and a cappellas, but at the end of the service, she prayed a somewhat selfish prayer that God would heal Ivan’s wrist as soon as was miraculously possible so that he could play the violin again and, thereby, spare everyone from his lack of vocal facility.

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