Page 201 of Share with Me

“Yes. We had to meet outdoors on the beach on Sunday mornings, and in the YMCA when it rained. Quite an ordeal.”

“I kinda liked having church on the beach.”

“Well, that’s the thing. That entire episode began our Fire-Pit Services, and we have one Wednesday night, as you saw in the bulletin.”

Ivan nodded.

“You coming to that?”

“I might.”

“I want to see you there.” Pastor Gonzalez slapped Ivan’s shoulder. “Want to have lunch with us?”

“What are we having?” Ivan already knew.

“The usual. My daughters only know how to cook one thing.”

“I know. Enchilada.” Ivan figured almost every member of Seaside Chapel had had lunch as the Gonzalez's home after church on Sundays at one time or another. Some might have gone over there more than once. They lived across the street from the church and their doors were never closed.

Ivan wondered why he hadn’t spoken to Pastor Gonzalez about his problems. He might have given him some good pointers. Maybe Ivan could have suffered less and endured more. Or something.

This morning’s sermon was yet another one of Pastor Gonzalez's convicting messages. Straight from God and one more thing Ivan needed to hear. If he lined up all the verses that he had heard since December, they all really boiled down to one thing. And he’d better learn it fast if he wanted to get out of his mental slump.

Trust God.

Pastor Gonzalez waved to his son down a hallway, motioning to him that it was time to go. To Ivan, he said, “We can walk to my house, and then you can come back and get your car.”

“I rode in with Matt. Let me tell him.” There was Matt over there, surrounded by what looked like a growing audience.

That was Matt. The popular one. People around him were roaring with laughter. Ivan didn’t want to interrupt the flow of adulation.

“Invite Matt too if he wants to come. I have to go get my wife now. I’ll see you at the house.”

“Okay, Pastor.”

As Ivan crossed the lobby to get to Matt, he spotted Brinley walking down another hallway. She was wearing a long floral skirt and a matching lavender blouse. Her hair had grown longer past her shoulders, but it was still as straight as sawgrass.

Oops. I don’t think she’d want me to compare her hair to sawgrass.

She was alone, and somehow that made Ivan happy. Not that she wasalone, but that she wasn’t with some guy other than her father. As he was thinking that, he saw Brinley stop at the glass doors leading to the parking lot. She stood to one side, as if waiting.For her father?

Ivan wondered whether he should go up to her to talk to her. Or whether he should leave her alone.

But his feet didn’t move.

Just then Brinley looked his way. She didn’t smile. Didn’t wave. Maybe she didn’t even see him.

I’m here!

He wanted to shout, but shame filled him. He remembered clearly how badly he had handled his misfortunes, how he had told Brinley to get lost and get out of his life. His exact words at the studio were what he could not forgive himself for.

Don’t you get it? You ruined my career, my life, everything!

He didn’t mean it. But he couldn’t take every word back now. Maybe he could ask her to forgive him.

She was still standing there under the Exit sign. People walked past her. She didn’t move. She was still looking in his direction.

Was she waiting for him to make the first move?

This was a showdown. Someone had to blink first. Ivan decided he was the one who had to do it. He had handled his own tragedies poorly. Now he had to be the first one to go to Brinley and ask her to forgive him.

As Ivan was thinking about his next step, some guy showed up to open the door for Brinley.

Dr. Tristan Rao.

Maybe they were at the door at the same time. A coincidence. That thought went out the door when Ivan saw Tristan put his hand on Brinley’s waist.

I’m too late!

---