Page 162 of Share with Me

Chapter Fifty

All Ivan thoughtabout as Matt Garnett drove him and Grandma to church in his van was that he was going to lose his health insurance in about a week. There went his wrist recovery.

Any day now, Grandma’s house would go into foreclosure. No job. No income. He might as well go into bankruptcy.

“You remember my cashier who’s supposed to go on maternity leave for a few months?” Matt asked as they turned into the Seaside Chapel parking lot.

“Yeah.” Ivan felt bad that he had been slow in filling out the job application form.

“She just quit yesterday. So I need someone almost immediately. Maybe you could fill in for her? It’s light work. No heavy lifting.”

Ivan said nothing. Could this be a solution from God?

God?

God has abandoned me.

Or has He?

The battle in his mind and heart confused him. He didn’t know what to think, what to feel, what to do. All he knew was that he was in a big financial mess and that because he was ashamed of it all, he had broken up with Brinley so she didn’t see him this way.

“It’s minimum wage, if you must know. But if you work full-time you get healthcare,” Matt continued.

“That’s very generous of you,” Grandma Yun said from the seat behind them.

“That’s what friends are for.”

Ivan thought for a bit. Anything to hold them over would work. “After church today I’ll get the forms filled out and email you.”

“You do that.” Matt parked his van.

“You have some sort of on-the-job training?”

“Part of the package.” Matt exited the van.

“Thank you, Matt.” Ivan followed him out.

Matt turned around. “Thank God, Ivan.”

Yes, thank God.

It stuck in Ivan’s mind as he helped Grandma out of the van and into her motorized wheelchair, which Brinley had bought for her at Christmas. She knew exactly what they had needed. His mind ran through some of their events together. The commode. The termites. The wheelchair.

Ivan wondered if Brinley still had—

Never mind.

He couldn’t believe she was now his ex-girlfriend. How did that happen?

What have I done?

He walked into the Sunday School class and almost made a U-turn to get out of there.

Matt didn’t say anything about Brinley in our class!

Sebastian Langston and his sister, Skye, blocked the exit.

“Hey, man! Good to see you back in Sunday School.” Sebastian slapped Ivan’s good arm. “Doing all right?”

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