Page 147 of Sing with Me

Diehl had burned out at work in Atlanta. However, on the island, he seemed rejuvenated. That was, until the DNA test results came. That would have been devastating for anyone, especially someone who didn’t know the Lord and did not have undergirding divine strength to endure the news.

What a difference one day had made.

Skye read her Bible starting in Galatians 1. When she reached the fourth verse, she prayed for Diehl. Then she screen-captured Galatians 1:3-5 from her Bible app and sent that to Diehl.

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Diehl did not reply. On her phone, Skye noticed that Diehl hadn’t even read it. Of course, he might have read it in the notifications, and as such she wouldn’t be able to tell from over here.

“Lord, please forgive me. I wasn’t trying to tell him what to do. I want him to do what is right in Your eyes,” Skye prayed. “Forgive me for my own sins. Help both of us to be the man and woman You want us to be for Your glory.”

Skye wondered if she might ever be able to breach the topic with Diehl again. They could be on different pages on that one matter.

It was important to her.

But it might not be of any significance to Diehl at all.

Equal yoke? The jury was out.

Chapter Forty

Diehl parked Dad’s Bugatti Veyron outside Matt’s antique store, and watched Ivan arrive on his shiny new bicycle, riding in the morning wind, his messenger bag across his back. He got off the bike, pushed it to a bike rack, and locked it.

“I envy you,” Diehl said as he locked Dad’s sports car. “Maybe I should get a bike.”

“Envy is a sin.” Ivan must have seen Diehl empty-handed, so he said, “Did you bring a Bible?”

“App on my phone.”

“Lots of distractions on your phone. Brinley wants me to give you a new Bible.” Ivan unlocked the door for Diehl.

So Ivan had a key to Matt’s shop. Maybe it was because he taught the Bible Study from time to time.

Ivan locked the door behind Diehl.

At the back of the store, Matt was making coffee. “Good morning, y’all.”

Benicio was stretched out on a blanket covering an old couch that looked like it came from the nineteenth century. “Is there any way we can move the Bible Study to the evening? The ladies have theirs at 7 p.m. Tuesday nights.”

“Who gets up this early, huh?” Ivan opened his messenger bag and handed a wrapped gift to Diehl.

“A present for me?” Diehl opened the card taped to the gift.

“If it were up to me, it’d be unwrapped—as is. But your sister insisted it has to be not only wrapped, but accompanied by a handwritten note in cursive, no less.”

Diehl finished reading the card. “That’s nice. Tell her I’m glad to be saved too,” Diehl said. “How’s she doing?”

“Still on bedrest. From the size of her, we might as well be having twins.”

“Well, Brooks babies are large.”

“McMillan babies are normal.” Ivan laughed. “She was so tired of my signature soups and sandwiches that I finally I caved in and agreed to hire a personal chef for her.”

“Not that you can’t afford it. Call Skye.” Diehl unwrapped the gift, knowing what was in it.

“I did. She’s sending someone starting lunch today.”

“I guess she can’t go herself because she’s in Miami Beach.” Diehl recalled the rather strange ending to their conversation the night before. However, he had fallen asleep before he thought too much about it.

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