Games by Wanda B. Campbell Page A

whined.
    “I’m on my way to church . Is there something you want?”
    She cleared her throat. “I was wondering if you could pick me up for church this morning.”
    Her request surprised Brian. During their previous conversations Shannon hadn’t mentioned a desire to attend today’s worship service. “I’m glad you want to come to church, Shannon, but it’s a little late for me to pick you up. Why don’t you just meet me there?”
    “That’s too bad , Brian, I really wanted to see you today.” She pouted.
    “Sorry, but I don’t like being late for service. If you’re sure you’re coming, I’ll have the usher save you a seat,” Brian offered as he started his RAV4.
    Shannon wasn’t happy and said as much. “It’s too early for me to throw a temper tantrum, so I’ll drop it for now. Will I be sitting next to you?” She sounded like a wounded puppy.
    “No, but you’ll have a good seat.” Brian didn’t tell her that as his father’s personal adjutant, he sat on the dais with the ministers.
    “I guess this is the only way I’ll get to see you today?” she conceded.
    “It sure is. I’ll see you later.” He ended the call and turned his attention to the road.
    As always, Brian knocked on Reggie’s office door before turning the knob and entering. “Do you need anything, Dad?” he asked, leaning his head inside.
    Reggie sat in his chair holding Josiah. Brian stepped inside and immediately Josiah threw his hands up and called out, “Brian!” He took his little brother from his father and tickled him.
    “Julia is preaching this at morning’s service,” Reggie answered with an expression that conveyed how much he cherished the opportunity to watch his children play.
    Reggie studied his eldest son’s face. Brian worked very hard to keep up in law school, but Reggie suspected there was more on his son’s mind than just school . “What’s going on with you and Shay? I’m not one to pry into your personal business with Shay, but I don’t want you to make a huge mistake either.”
    Brian turned so he couldn’t face his father and focused on Josiah. “Nothing.”
    “Nothing?” Reggie asked incredulously
    “We’re just friends, like always.”
    Before he asked, Reggie guessed the answer to his next question by Brian’s mannerisms. “You haven’t told her how you really feel about her and that you want to build a relationship with her?  She doesn’t know that you’re in love with her?”
    “Kind of, but the feeling isn’t mutual. We’re just friends.”
    Reggie rested his elbows on his desk and lowered his head. What Brian said didn’t make sense. Reggie knew for a fact that Shay was in love with Brian; she’d told him so before leaving for Cambridge, but that was something Brian should hear directly from Shay.
    “Is that what she told you? Did she actually say she didn’t love you?” Reggie wanted clarification.
    “No she didn’t actually say that, but she implied it.”
    “I see . I remember how hard it was for me to communicate my true feelings to Julia at age forty-one. Brian, I really feel, no, I know, you and Shay need to sit down and have an honest heart-to-heart talk, before one of you takes a wrong turn.”
    Brian listened to his father’s words, his dad was probably right. “Maybe next week at Thanksgiving, I’ll try talking to her again.”
    “I’m sorry, Brian. I guess I forgot to tell you. Shay’s not coming home for Thanksgiving. She said she needed to spend that time studying.”
    “Oh.” Brian tried to conceal his hurt, but wasn’t too successful.  He felt like his heart had been pulled from his chest and stomped on. He knew without a doubt the only reason Shay wasn’t coming home for her favorite holiday, was to keep from seeing him. He moaned and asked himself, Does she hate me that much ?
    “You don’t have to wait until she returns home, you can give her a call or better yet, you can go to Massachusetts,” Reggie suggested.
    “Yeah,