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Paul looked at Ian They shared a knowing slass “Happy New Year,” he said softly

“Happy New Year”

Tattoo

“And it shall coreat trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem”

—Isaiah 27:13

One afternoon in March, Paul walked into the church co the Bible

“Sorry,” he said “I was just taking a break”

“It’s fine with me,” Paul said “Just don’t let Julie catch you”

He glanced over his shoulder No one was behind him, so he stole a quick chocolate-flavored kiss Then he tapped a finger on the open Bible in front of Ian He whispered, “Try First Samuel”

He saw Ian in his peripheral vision flipping through the pages as he turned to walk out of the room He waited just outside the door with his ear tilted in Ian’s direction

“Wow,” he heard Ian say He smiled and went back to his office

“And it ca unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul And Saul took hio no more home to his father’s house Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul And Jonathan stripped hiave it to David, and his garirdle”

—1 Samuel 18:1-4

That spring, Ian enrolled in Paul’s Wednesday-evening Bible-study class After dinner, Paul and Ian would ride back to the church Paul was behind the wheel, of course Ian sat in the passenger seat clutching his King Jaan before they even got out of the car

In the class itself, Ian hung on Paul’s every word He asked lots of questions, sometimes so ht on discussing the topic on the ride home, and then in the house, until Paul finally looked at him and said, “Ian, I’m off the clock”