Riven - Jerry B. Jenkins [39]
A long pause.
Finally, “Well, first of all, I liked the idea. She sounded nice enough, and I was actually encouraged that a church had finally figured out how to welcome a new pastor. But then she said she hadn’t realized that I was married, that my parents hadn’t mentioned that for some reason—and believe me, I caught her tone—but that my husband was certainly welcome too, and wouldn’t it be a wonderful surprise.
“Of course I told her right away that Dirk and I were not married, and you could have cut the silence with the sword of the Lord. She said, ‘Yeah, well, I’m going to have to get back to you on that.’
“I said, ‘So, we’re uninvited; is that it?’
“She said, ‘Are you telling me that you and this Dirk are roommates?’
“I said, ‘More than that, ma’am; we’re lovers.’”
“Oh, Ravinia,” Grace said.
“C’mon, Mom. This is not news to you. I figured you had called. I hadn’t wanted you to hear it that way, but you know I wasn’t going to hide anything.”
“I almost wish you had.”
“No, you don’t. I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a liar. You have to give me that.”
“That is commendable, Rav,” Thomas said. “But there is the matter of considering our feelings.”
“Your reputation, you mean. So you got run out of there because you’ve got a daughter living in sin; is that it? You don’t have to answer. I know. I grew up with people like that.”
“We’re not like that, Rav.”
“I’m not talking about you, Dad. You’re surprisingly nonjudgmental, considering the people you associate with. But what do you call it when they judge you unqualified because a grown woman doesn’t still obey your wishes?”
Thomas spoke haltingly, telling Ravinia about the suggested course of action by the elders.
Ravinia responded with a hint of tears in her voice. “Dad, I’m about as livid as I can be. I’m sorry you and Mom are on the lam again, but I couldn’t be more proud that you did the right thing. All you have to do is say the word and I’ll find somebody to make these people wish they’d never even dreamed of this.”
“You know we’d never allow that,” Grace said.
“Of course I know that. But it’s a crime that they hide behind their religious status, their . . . their . . . I’d just love to teach them a lesson.”
“Leave that to the Lord,” Grace said.
“Dad, please get out of the ministry. I know you believe in it and think you’re serving God and all that—”
“I am serving God, Rav!”
“So where is He in this? Why does He let you get bludgeoned every time?”
“We don’t blame this on God, honey,” Grace said. “It’s His people who are imperfect, and—”
“You consider Patricia and her husband and their cohorts God’s people?”
“They’re just human, Ravinia.”
“They’re evil.”
“Now don’t—”
“I know. I’m evil too. But I have to tell you again, most of the people I’ve met since I left home have zero interest in God or church and certainly Jesus, but—with a few exceptions—none of them would ever do to another person what your so-called fellow Christians have done to you your whole career.”
Thomas rubbed his forehead and forced back a sob. “Rav, we would be remiss if we didn’t express how we feel about where you are right now.”
“I know, Dad. I know, I know, I know, okay? Spare us both the lecture. I don’t mean to hurt you. I hope you know I still care about you or I wouldn’t have even tried to find you.”
Thomas fought the urge to say she was showing her concern in a strange way. “And we want you to know that we love you unconditionally and that we’re praying for you.”
“And for Dirk?”
“Of course.”
“Mm-hm. Dad, please find something else to do. I mean for work. You’re smart and you’re kind. There must be something less stressful, more fair.”
“Well, I’m looking. I’ll keep you posted.”
Addison
Peter was yawning as they moseyed home. “I don’t have to come with you every night, do I?”
“’Course not. But you got a chance to see what I do.”
“Yeah, and it was cool. But it’s just the same thing over and over. And it looks harder than cleaning the laundry place, but at least you get to drive