Page 120 of Sing with Me

Home?

How could he be home when he did not feel close to God?

He felt a light spray of rain on his face. He padded back into his bedroom and shut the door. He felt a bit thirsty from the salty teriyaki chicken that Chef Pierre had cooked at dinner.

However, thank God he did not feel any desire to run to the bottle. Maybe he didn’t want to apologize to Skye again. Maybe God was in the process of removing that desire from him.

All he wanted to do right now was run to God.

Diehl left his bedroom. The hallway had nightlights here and there. Ethan’s room was dark, but the door was cracked.

Diehl walked quietly down the stairs to get some water from the kitchen. At the foot of the stairs, he saw that the kitchen light was on even before he reached it. He heard the refrigerator door opening and closing.

There was Mom at the island, eating a dollop of cheesecake.

“Mom.” Diehl sighed.

“Busted.” She grinned. “Want some?”

“Is that Skye’s cheesecake?”

Mom shrugged. “There’s only one in the fridge.”

“Is it done yet? I heard her say it has to stay overnight.”

“It’s a bit jiggly, but it’s good enough. Want some?” Mom opened and closed several drawers until she found a cake cutter.

“Well, okay. A small slice.” Diehl found a desert plate in one of the cabinets.

This kitchen was entirely too big for him. He liked that smaller kitchen in Brinley’s beach house, the one that Skye cooked in.

Mom cut a piece of cheesecake for him. They sat at the island and ate in silence.

Then Mom spoke. “I want you to know that you, Brin, and Parker all belong to your dad and me.”

“Good to know.” Diehl kept eating.

“You were never adopted. I never had an affair.”

Diehl noted that she did not say whether Dad ever did.

“It never crossed my mind that Isobel would…” Mom stopped herself. She ate another bite of cheesecake.

“She was lost, Mom,” Diehl said.

“Lost?”

“Lost—when you don’t know God, you’re lost.”

Mom pointed a fork at him. “Are you lost?”

“I might be. I’m closer to God now than I ever was, but I think I am not yet in His family. I feel like I am still outside the fence, looking in.” And holding hands with Skye on the other side of the fence.

He wanted to be on the same side of the fence with her. Very much.

“Did Brin get to you?” Mom rolled her eyes. “She’s been inviting me to church. Usually she tried non-Sunday events, you know, as if I’d overlook the fact that it’s still at church.”

“Grandpa used to take us to the same church.”

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