Hi! It’s me! Lily!

And Sabby is PISSED.

Partly at me, but.. well, let me tell you the story.

So this morning we got up at stupid-o’clock, showered and got into our nice spring clothes (Beth was super cranky).  Jack came over along with one of his parents (the other stayed with Grace because it was too early for her), and, well, we went to services.

The church is oriented so that the sun comes through a big stained glass window in the morning, so in the middle of the service the building just exploded into light.  It was really pretty, I have to say that.  A lot of people gasped.

The pastor proclaimed “He is risen!”

And Jack whispered in my ear, “Me too”.

I… got a giggle fit.  I couldn’t help it.  I started snickering, then finally got up from the pew, ran out, and burst out laughing as soon as the door closed into the sanctuary.  I just sat there for a whole five minutes giggling.  Then, when I finally got myself together, I walked back in.

The pastor stopped what he was saying, looked at me, and said “I know another good one, Lily…  a priest and a rabbi walked into a bar”, and he proceeded to tell a slightly off-color but admittedly funny joke.

I was beet red. I sat back down in my seat and glared at Jack, who at least had the decency to look ashamed.

I was embarrassed throughout the rest of the service.

After the service, we went outside, and Sabby rounded on me.  “What was that about, Lily?”

“Ummm.. Jack said something funny to me.”

“And what, pray tell, was so funny that you ran out of the sanctuary and started whooping laughing?”

“You heard that?”

“The whole sanctuary did.  Now what was so funny?”

I looked at Jack helplessly.  “Ummm..  the pastor said ‘He is risen'”

Jack spoke up.  Bless him.  “And I whispered ‘me too’ in her ear”.  He turned as red as I was in the sanctuary.

Sabby frowned.  Jack’s mother frowned harder.  “Come here,” she said to Jack, and, well…  I didn’t quite make out what they were saying because Sabby was laying into me, but he was getting it.  Hard.

“At… at least I ran out of the sanctuary,” I said.  “I couldn’t help it.”

She sighed.  “No, Jack started that.  Maybe.. maybe it’s best if you don’t come to church anymore,” she said.  “You just don’t take it seriously.”

I looked at her.  “You wanted me to go.  I didn’t want to go.  I go because of you, and because they’re family in a way.  Now you’re embarrassed of me?”

“Yes, Lily, I am.  You embarrassed me.” She looked over at Jack.  “I think he’ll be lucky if he’s ungrounded before he turns 18.”

He waved at me meekly and got spun around to get told off some more.

And we went home.

‘I haven’t said another word to Sabby all day.  Not one.  I didn’t ask Jack to do that!  I couldn’t help it that it was so funny!  He shouldn’t have, but he did, and now she’s blaming me and telling me I embarrassed her?  Well I embarrassed me too!!!  She’s not being fair!  It’s not like I really want to go to church!  I do it because I respect her!!!

And now she doesn’t respect me.

Jack’s grounded.  We’re not going to see each other for a little while, I guess.  It’s not just because of his joke, it’s… well… because of what he implied.  In church, too!!!

Figures.  It’s all a mess now.

Love you all.  Maybe you still respect me, anyway.

I guess.