Page 4 of Sean
She opened up another spreadsheet.She’d been brainstorming fund-raising ideas for weeks, preparing in the hopes that Hailey would have good news for her.“That’s a very generous offer.When do you need final approval?”
“Give me a second, let me check his calendar.”
Monica heard a keyboard clicking before Hailey came back on the line.
“Your event is scheduled for the second weekend in January.He’d need confirmation by January fifth.And even that’s a concession for you guys because he appreciates the challenges of running a small organization.Matthew wanted you to know that he’ll understand if you can’t come up with the funds.If you need to cancel at that late date, no harm, no foul.He’ll have a much-needed weekend home with his family.”
“Thank you so much.I’m not going to lie.I’ll have to juggle some funding, but I’m sure it won’t be an issue in the end.I promise you’ll hear from me way before the first of the year.”
“Perfect, I’ll pass along the information.”
When Hailey didn’t add anything else, Monica said, “You mentioned better news.I’m dying of curiosity.”
“I’ve decided to retire.”
“Wow.Congratulations.What will Matthew do without you?”
“That’s the other reason for my call.I’ve still got a year and a half to work, and I’m looking for someone to mentor to take the position.You were the first person I thought of.”
The phone almost slipped out of Monica’s hand.
Matthew Wright was a minister, a best-selling author, an internationally sought-after speaker, and an advocate for veterans’ rights.To work for him would be...beyond Monica’s wildest dreams.“That’s...Wow.I don’t even know what to say.”
“Think about it while I’m gone.Matthew, of course, will have the final say, but he’s agreed to authorize a mentorship, starting this spring.I know we’d work well together.”
“You’ve...you’ve taken me by complete surprise,” Monica stammered.“Of course I’m interested.What do you need from me and when?”
“Are you still involved in a hundred different projects?”
“You know me.”
“I’m gonna need you to brush off your resume and update it.I know you’re doing great work at the center.Matthew will see that for himself when he comes for your event.I’ll also need you to include details about all the work you’re doing for your church and the community.”
Monica chewed her lip, suddenly feeling very inadequate.“I can do that, but it’s mostly little stuff.I can’t imagine it having any impact on this opportunity.”
“Everything you do is a building block that shows your competence,” Hailey said.“This is a high-profile ministry.We need to see that you can juggle the day-to-day.”
Juggling tasks?Monica had become a pro at that.“I’ll get everything together and forward it to you as soon as I can.I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet, and don’t let me down.This event with Matthew needs to go off without a hitch.”
“It will.You have my word.”
“That’s good enough for me.I’ll talk to you when I get back.”
Monica swiped the call closed and bowed her head over her desk.She’d barely had words for Hailey, and now she was struggling to put her thoughts into her prayer.
“Father, thank You for this opportunity—for the center and for me.You know I want Your will in my life.”Her sigh was tremulous.“Please let this be Your will.”
***
SEAN HAULED THE DISCARDEDChristmas tree out to the small storage area in the duplex’s single-car garage.He hadn’t taken much care with the repackaging, and the duct tape holding the beat-up box together strained at the seams.Not that it mattered.It was dumpster-bound in the morning.
Back in the living room, he stared at the half dozen boxes of decorations.He’d take more care with these because the eclectic collection of ornaments, each different and lovingly wrapped in old newspaper, had been Brittany’s pride and joy.They’d adorn his next tree, wherever that was.
Melancholy drove Sean to pluck out the nearest bundle.He peeled the paper back and stared at the plastic figure of a man and a woman running together, arms linked, faces wearing identical smiles.He closed his eyes as memories flooded his head.
The spring Ten-K.They’d trained for months to run that race.Sean had started running in college.Brittany had been a newbie, but she was never one to back down from a challenge.Sean finished the race fifth to Brittany’s four-hundred-seventy-third, but it hadn’t mattered.They’d done it together.When she’d seen this ornament while walking through one of the vendors’ tents, she’d claimed it as her own.
