Page 169 of Share with Me

“You don’t waste time, do you, Brinley?”

Brinley called the piano movers. Yes, they could do it today, but it would cost double. She put them on hold. “What time do you want them to go to your house?”

“If we do it today, we need to do it before five. That’s when Ivan gets home from the doctor.”

Oh. Ivan again.

“What did he say about your selling the Steinway?”

“He doesn’t get to decide. It’s my piano. My decision.”

Ivan doesn’t know. Uh-oh.

And Brinley didn’t want him to stop the sale.

Yun seemed to sense that. “Let me tell you the truth, Brinley. Ivan isn’t going to get his SISO job back anytime soon. His music studio is shut down for the foreseeable future. It looks like we’re going to lose the house. I don’t want to lose the piano too. I’d rather keep it in the family, but seeing the situation as it is, my guess is that the piano will be sold later as part of my estate sale or something. I’d rather know where it’s going to go before I go.”

“Please don’t talk like that. You’re not going anywhere, Yun. Have more tea.”

Yun shook her head. “Someday if the piano makes its way back to my family, that will be fine. But for now I think it’ll be safe with you.”

“I’ll take care of it. I promise.” Brinley sighed.

Yun raised an eyebrow, waiting.

“I don’t get it, Yun.” It was a puzzle Brinley couldn’t unravel. “Isn’t Ivan a Christian?”

“Since he was six years old. You’re asking what’s happening with him? If God is so good, why is Ivan a mess right now?”

“Yes.”

“God’s goodness is independent of us.”

“Why is Ivan miserable?”

“He is walking by sight and not by faith right now. He needs to get down on his knees and repent, but he’s a stubborn boy. We need to wait for God to work in his heart on this.”

“You’re a patient lady, Yun.”

“It says in Isaiah 55 that God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours. He sees more than we do. He does more than we can.”

Brinley realized then that Yun was the only person she had ever known who seemed to have a Bible verse for every need.

“Pray for Ivan, Brinley. He needs all the prayers he can get.” Yun put down her cup and saucer on the side table. “Now let’s go before the bank closes.”

Brinley helped Yun off the love seat and into her motorized wheelchair. Yun seemed to be getting proficient with that thing. She whirred it around to get her coat slung over the backrest of the love seat.

On the phone Brinley told the piano movers to meet them at Yun’s address at four o’clock. She pocketed her iPhone and helped Yun put on her coat. The garage was near her new kitchen, but she had a ramp put in for accessibility in case she decided to sell her house later.

Yun was a pro with her new wheelchair. “I like my new wheels. Thank you for my Christmas present.”

“You’re more than welcome. Just don’t get a speeding ticket.” Brinley held the door as Yun puttered into the garage. “If you had a ramp like this you wouldn’t need to climb those porch stairs.”

Yun shook her head. “I need the exercise.”

And it would cost money that Ivan didn’t have, Brinley didn’t say.That stubborn dude!If only he’d let her accountant help him sort out his bank account. He’d have a proper plan to get out of debt by now. But no. He had to learn it the hard way.

But he wasn’t her problem, was he?

Then why is he still on my mind?

Brinley couldn’t shake off the thought.

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