The Dark Divine

The other, across the table from me, was set with a special golden goblet and golden utensils.

Dad glared at the goblet and mumbled something under his breath. Then an almost-genial smile spread across his face. "Shall we get started?" he asked the crowd.

Eager faces nodded, and April actually licked her lips--but she was staring at Jude when she did it, so it may have had nothing to do with the food.

"Who's missing?" Pete Bradshaw gestured to the two empty seats. He and his mother sat to one side of me. I'd felt bad when Pete told me his dad had cancelled their a

"Don Mooney had to close up at Day's Market," Dad said. "Meredith does not feel like waiting for him."

Mom coughed. "Don did not RSVP, so there is no point in waiting if we don't know if he's coming."

"I'm sure he will be along soon." Dad smiled at her.

I wondered if he was right or if Don was still brooding over his encounter with my father the other day. I actually got this heavy feeling when I imagined him sitting alone in his apartment behind the parish.

"The other seat," Mom started to explain, "is a family tradition of ours--"

Dad grunted. "Meredith has asked me to say a special blessing over the food."

Aunt Carol gave Dad the evil eye, most likely on my mother's behalf.

Dad extended his hands to Jude on his right side and Leroy Maddux on his left. We all joined hands around the table, my fingers slipping tentatively into Pete's. Dad began his blessing. His voice was even, and he sounded like he was speaking words he had rehearsed in his office at the parish or wherever he had disappeared to until di

"We are gathered here, 0 Father, to celebrate thy bounty. Thou art giving and kind unto us, and we wish to share that with others. That is why we leave a space at our table for any unexpected visitors. To remind us to open our home to those in need. And also to remind us of those who should be here: our extended family, my father, and Marya

The doorbell rang. Mom fidgeted in her seat.

"Let us give thanks for thy blessings. Keep us and bless this food that it will nourish and strengthen us as Thou strengthens our souls. Amen."

"Amen," the rest of us intoned.

My seat was at the end of the table that stuck out into the foyer. I jumped up, went to the door, and flung it open, expecting to find Don. Instead, there was this amazingly attractive guy with shortish, light brown hair, dressed in khakis and a blue button-up shirt, standing on the porch.

"Sorry I'm late," he said.

"Grace, who is it?" Mom called from the dining room.

"Daniel?" I whispered.

Chapter Ten

Unexpected

AT THE DOOR

"I was invited, wasn't I?" Daniel said.

"I didn't expect ... and you look so ... different."

"Compliments of Mishka," he said. "That's why she was there last night. I needed to change it for school. Couldn't strip all the dark out, though"--he brushed his hand through his shorter, brown hair--- "so we settled for this."

The mention of Mishka made me want to slam the door in his face. Oh, but what a nice face he had now that it wasn't obscured by long, black hair.

I shook my head. "You should go."

"Grace, who is it?" Mom repeated as she came to the door. "Is this a friend from school..." She stopped mid-step beside me. "Grace, what is the meaning of this?" She pointed an accusatory finger at Daniel, who stood motionless on the porch. "What is he doing here?" "I invited him."

"You invited him?" she said too loudly. I was sure we had an audience by then. "How could you? How dare you I

"You told her she could invite whomever she wanted," Dad said as he came up behind us. "You must be prepared to deal with the consequences if she interprets your suggestion literally."

"You're right, Grace. I should go." Daniel glanced at Dad. "I'm sorry, Pastor, this was a mistake. I'll leave."

Dad dropped his gaze. "No," he said. "You were invited; therefore, you are welcome."

Mom gasped. I looked back at my father in shock and a hit of awe.

"If we say we're going to do something, then we do it. Right, Grace?" Dad looked at Daniel. "I'm sorry I forgot that."

Daniel nodded.

"He can't stay," Mom said. "There's no room. He was not expected."

"Don't be silly. You set a place for him yourself." Dad turned to Daniel. "Come in then, before the food gets cold."

"Thank you, Pastor."

Dad took my mother by the shoulders and steered her back to the table. I think she was too shocked to protest. I gestured Daniel inside and closed the door behind him. He followed me to the table, and I pointed to the empty seat across from mine.

Everyone sat there staring at him, probably trying to figure out what the big deal was.

"Is that that Kalbi guy?" Pete whispered to me.

I nodded and he turned and whispered something to his mother.

Daniel tentatively prodded the golden fork next to his plate. He looked up at me and winked.

Jude rose from his chair. "This is ridiculous. He can't stay. He doesn't belong here."

"He stays." Dad put a heaping scoop of mashed potatoes on his plate. "Pass this to Daniel," he said, and handed the bowl to Leroy.

"Then I'm leaving," Jude said. "Come on, April, let's get out of here." He held his hand out to her.

"Sit!" Dad said. "Sit, eat, and be grateful. Your mother made this fabulous meal, and now we--all of us--are going to eat it."

April shrank into her chair like a scolded pup. Jude looked for a moment like he was going to do the same. He clenched his fists and then relaxed into his sullen shell.

"I'm sorry, Mother," he said in an even tone. "I just remembered that I volunteered to serve di

"What about our di

But Jude kept going. He took a set of keys off the hook and headed for the garage. "Let him go," Dad said.

Mom smiled to her guests. "You know Jude. Always thinking about others first." She grabbed the bowl of cranberry sauce from Aunt Carol. "Eat up," she said to everyone. But as she shoveled cranberries onto her turkey, she shot me a look that made my heart shrivel with guilt.

I stared at the lump of green bean casserole on my plate. It didn't look right to me. Too soggy--I'd overcooked it for sure.

Pete brushed my arm. Warmth crept up my face.

I felt someone's foot nudge my leg. I looked up at Daniel, and he raised his eyebrows and smiled like he was completely i

The meal went on in awkward silence for another ten minutes or so. I literally jumped when there was a loud bang on the front door. The banging got louder, and the doorbell rang several times. Everyone looked at me like I was also responsible for this mysterious interruption.