Page 157 of Sing with Me

“No matter what happens, God will work it out.”

“I have to believe that.” Diehl waited for the flight attendant to clear the breakfast off the table in front of him. He pointed to his coffee mug. She nodded.

“How’s Ethan?” Skye asked.

“Asleep.”

“Speaking of sleep, maybe I need to go back to sleep. I might be able to get three or four hours in before I have to get ready for more judging.”

“Okay. Thanks for calling.” He drank the hot coffee that the flight attendant brought him. “I appreciate it.”

Skye smiled into the camera. “Before I go, let me ask you something.”

“Anything.”

“How areyoudoing?”

Maybe it was his voice or something. She seemed to sense his feeling.

“I’m taking it one day at a time,” he finally said. “The days go better when you’re here with me.”

“Oh.” That was all Skye said.

“But don’t let me take you away from being with your brother.”

“Speaking of my brother, he told me that you’re undergoing a test from God, and that I should let you be so that you don’t rely on people when you need to be relying on God.”

Diehl thought about what Skye just told him. “He thinks this is a test?”

“To grow your faith in Christ.”

“That’s a good test,” Diehl said. “Stay there. Let me pass this test.”

“Does that mean you don’t think you’ll pass the test if I’m there with you?” Skye asked.

Could Skye distract him? “I don’t know.”

“You might turn to me for support instead of to God.”

“While Sebastian might have a point, I want to see you because I enjoy your company. In fact…” How could he say it? He glanced over at Mom. She was off her phone and probably listening in to what he said, but she could not hear what Skye said because he was wearing earbuds.

Well, did it matter? He wanted to say it anyway.

“I want to be with you the rest of my life, Skye.”

Onscreen, Skye looked visibly moved. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Do you feel the same?”

Slowly, she nodded. “It’s an odd feeling, isn’t it?”

“For the first time in my life, I know who I want to be with. I’m actually feeling pretty good.”

“Same here.”

Hearing her say that warmed Diehl’s heart to no end, and lifted him above the clouds outside.

He considered it her vote of confidence that he was worthy of her time, space, and love. That, in spite of his failures, she still wanted to be with him.

---