A Gang of Our Own

Chapter Eleven

"Please, Avery!" Malissa begged.

I groaned.

"It's beautiful!"

"Yeah, but I don't like dresses."

It was a baby blue dress. The left short sleeve had delicate riffles that swept across the chest. It was a V cut, and ended at my knees.

"One time."

"No."

"Please! Just wear a dress one time."

I sighed. Knowing that the stubborn lady wouldn't let me have my way, I reluctantly agreed.

"Fine."

"Thank you! Thank you!" She said as she shoved the dress in my hands. "I'm curling your hair!" She shouted from somewhere down the hall. I took off my pajamas and slipped the dress on for church. It was form fitting, and very comfortable. I put on some white flats, and walked to Melissa's room. The curling iron was heating up and Malissa walked in. She gently combed my hair and started curling. When she was done, my hair was quite beautiful.

"There! Did I do good?"

"It looks very pretty. Thank you." I got out of her room and walked to the kitchen.

Matt saw me and said, "Whoa, got a hot date, or something?"

"Ha ha, no. Your mother insisted on dolling me up for church."

"She used to try to do that too DJ, too, but DJ wouldn't let her."

"Malissa wouldn't take no for an answer."

Matt chuckled and handed me a waffle. DJ pranced in, wearing a dark blue skirt and a cream top. We all ate out waffles and got in the car.

At church, we all sat down. I watched the old man again as he stood in the back corner. His wrinkled eyes scanned the room. He caught me staring, and I immediately felt embarrassed and looked away. A pair of hands covered my eyes and I heard a familiar voice say," Guess who."

"Hey, Triston." I said as I took off his hands.

I looked around and the twins were there.

"I didn't know you guys came here." Matt said.

"We've been coming here for years." Blair replied.

"Last Sunday was our first time here." I explained.

"Oh, that explains it. We didn't go last Sunday. We went fishing."

"Fun! Did you catch anything?"

"Triston caught a decent sized trout."

"It wasn't that big." Triston interjected.

"Don't be so modest. It was big."

"Blair, we better go sit by Mom. They are going to start soon."

"OK. Bye guys!" Blair said to us, and they walked away.

"Thank you all for joining us again for another Sunday." Pastor Dan began. "This morning, my son and daughter got into a fight. He started to tease her, and she yelled at him. I came to their room, and my son apologized. I told my daughter, 'Katie, your brother just asked for forgiveness. What do you do?' She told me that she was still mad at him, and said she didn't want to forgive him. This was perfect timing, because all week I have been planning this sermon on forgiveness. However, it was the argument between my children that made me realize just how difficult it can be to forgive. If you turn to Mathew 18:21-22 it says,' Then Peter came up and said to Him, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Seven times? Jesus said to him, " I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.'" There is no limit to how often we need to forgive those who do us wrong. For everytime they ask for our forgiveness, we are to forgive. Luke 23:34 says,'Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.' Do you want to know what forgiveness is? God sent His only son to die for our sins. His only son, so we could have eternity in Heaven with Him." Pastor Dan's eyes scanned the room. "Does anyone have a story that they would like to share about forgiveness?" I immediately thought of my mom. Matt did, too. He gently nudged me with his arm. I wasn't going to tell my story to a bunch of strangers. Nope. Unfortunately, my body stood without my mind's permission.