Page 65 of Sing with Me

“Wouldn’t it be expensive.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Seriously.

Ethan looked happy as he circled everything, including a sewing class.

When Diehl turned to see what Elisa was doing, she had ripped the flier into shreds. Bits of paper were on the carpeted floor beneath their feet.

“Elisa, pick them up. No littering.” Diehl’s voice was stern.

Elisa ignored him.

What had gotten into her?

Diehl repeated what he said.

She ignored him still.

Diehl almost stooped down to pick up the shredded trash himself when along came Skye.

“Wow, what a mess,” Skye said. “I guess the unpaid volunteers are going to have to work extra hard after church to clean up that mess, while everyone else goes out to lunch. Hope they don’t starve.”

Diehl almost laughed, but Skye seemed serious.

Ethan touched her arm. “Would you like to sit next to me? I saved you a seat.”

Diehl glanced at Skye.

“I usually sit over there.” She pointed in the general direction of who knew where. “However, I’ll sit here with you today if you want.”

Ethan nodded vigorously. “Look at all these day camps Dad said I can attend.”

Skye sat down on the other side of Ethan and looked over the list of camps Ethan had checked off.

“Sewing. That’s new for this year. What are you sewing? Curtains?” Skye asked.

Diehl chuckled.

“I don’t know. Maybe space costumes.” Ethan shrugged.

“Looks like your sewing camp is at the same time as your cooking camp,” Skye said.

“Is it?” Ethan leaned over—all the way over to the other side of the armrest into Skye’s seat.

That little flirt.

Diehl dared not think that Ethan took after his mother, but Isobel had been like that. Flirted with every guy.

Diehl closed his eyes. Asked God to forgive him for that snide thought. Isobel was dead.Let the dead go.

He felt a warm hand on his right shoulder. He opened his eyes to check whose hand it was. When he saw that it was Skye’s hand, he reached up to hold it in place.

His heart did a little jig.

Throughout the entire service, Diehl wished he could switch seats with Ethan, but his son knew he had the better deal and there was nothing Diehl could do about it.

Pastor Gonzalez preached this morning about the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32, and Diehl couldn’t believe what a long passage it was to squeeze into half an hour of sermon. Somehow the pastor managed to get the highlights in.

The last verse caught Diehl’s attention and made him wonder about his spiritual condition.

---