Chapter 7

"You have heard that it has been said,

'You should love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

But I tell you, love your enemies, bless them who curse you.

Do good to them who hate you, and pray for them who use

you for their own personal gain and for them who persecute you."

(Matthew 5:43-44)

"If you forgive those who offend you, so your Father will also

forgive your offenses. However, if you don't forgive those

who offend you, then your Father won't forgive your offenses."

(Matthew 6:14-15)

"Then Jesus said, 'Great is your faith.'"

(Matthew 15:28)

"Lord, teach us to number our days,

so we can apply our hearts to wisdom."

(Psalm 90:12)

"Your Word, O Lord, is lamp to my feet

and a light to my path."

(Psalm 119:108)

"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat.

And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink."

(Romans 12:20)

Dale woke up early the next morning. He took a shower, which put him in a better mood. He went downstairs to the kitchen, where Theodore was eating breakfast. "Good, you haven't left yet," he said to Theodore.

Theodore looked up from his cereal bowl and smiled at Dale. "What do you mean?" he inquired.

"I'm going with you to church today," Dale explained.

"Will this be your first time going?" Theodore asked.

Dale nodded. "I'm just going so I can get out of the house and get away from my father," he declared.

"Well, even though you're just going to get away from your father, I really hope you get something out of this experience," Theodore commented.
"I do, too, to be honest," Dale confessed. He poured himself a glass of orange juice and joined Theodore at the kitchen table.

The others got up shortly afterward. Alvin went in the living room to watch cartoons. Simon went in the basement to work on one of his science experiments. Chip went to one of the empty bedrooms to read one of his detective novels in peace. Gadget accompanied Simon to the basement. Foxglove went in the kitchen to spend time with Dale. Dave began cooking breakfast. Only Jeremy, Monterey Jack, and Zipper were still asleep.

Foxglove cuddled with Dale as he drank his orange juice. She nuzzled her nose against his cheek. She giggled. He liked it when she giggled. Her giggle was seductive, almost as if she was weaving a spell over him, causing him to fall in love with her.

Eleanor came over to the Seville home. "Theodore, are you ready to go?" she asked.

Theodore nodded. "Come on, Dale," he said.

Dale followed Theodore and Eleanor to Miss Miller's car, which was parked outside the house. They got in.

"So nice you could join us for church, Dale," Miss Miller said on the drive to the church.

Brittany turned in her seat to look at Dale. "Dale, are you–" she began.

"I swear to God, if one more person asks me if I'm all right, I'm going to put a bullet through my head," Dale cried.

Brittany glared at him. "That not even funny, Dale," she growled. "Don't even joke about that. Do you understand me? I never want to hear something like that come out of your mouth ever again. Got it?"

"Fine," Dale replied. He looked out the window.

The group arrived at Upper Room Harvest Church a few minutes later. They enetered the church.

Theodore walked up to a tanned man with black hair and a black mustache. He had brown eyes. His hair was turning gray, though it wasn't from age, since the man appeared to be only in his late forties. Theodore addressed him as Pastor Mike Smith and introduced him to Dale.

"Welcome, Dale," Mike said. "We're glad you're here."

"Glad to be here," Dale replied. He followed Theodore and the others over to an empty pew.

After several songs, Mike began the sermon. The sermon was about forgiveness and loving one's enemies. While Dale found the sermon intriguing, he also found it somewhat confusing.

"I just don't see how someone can just forgive and forget," Dale said on the drive home. "See, I couldn't do that with my father."

"I guess you wouldn't be able to, not after all he's put you through," Jeanette stated.

Dale glared at Theodore. "What have you been telling them?" he barked.

"Nothing," Theodore replied.

"What have you been telling them, Theodore/" Dale repeated, louder this time.

"Dale, he hasn't told us anything," Eleanor said. "All he said was that he wanted us to pray for you because you were having a hard time coping with meeting your father."

"Dale, I'm not trying to be a smart-aleck here, but if you had Jesus in your life, you could probably get through this a lot better," Theodore declared.

Dale had to admit that Theodore was right. After he'd gotten emancipated from his father at the age of fifteen, he'd turned to alcohol and drugs to help him cope with his abusive father. However, this made things worse. In desperate need of money, he'd started selling drugs, which landed him in jail for a couple of months. He now realized that he needed Christ more than anything.

"I'm doing fine on my own, thanks," Dale snapped at Theodore.

Theodore shrugged. "Fine, do whatever you want," he suggested.

Ms. Miller swerved the car to the right, sending the four passengers in the back sliding to the left.

Theodore and Dale entered the Seville home a few minutes later.

"So, how did it go?" Gadget asked Dale.

"It went well," Dale stated. "I really enjoyed myself." He started upstairs when someone wrapped their arm around his throat, choking him.

"Hey, sweetheart," Jeremy whispered in Dale's ear. He ran his paw down the chipmunk's striped back. "You got a cute butt, baby." He gently squeezed Dale's rump. "You wanna do it? You're such a pretty girl." He kissed Dale's cheek, then slithered his tongue into Dale's ear.

"Jeremy," Chip yelled.

Jeremy released Dale. Dale let ot a fearful high-pitched shriek and ran over to Dave.

"Oh, come on, now, I was just playing," Jeremy said. "I wouldn't hurt a hair on his pretty little head." To Dale he added, "Grow some balls, you sissy. You're not like your brother. He was brave and . . ." He stopped and pointed to the floor and laughed. "Well, look at that," he cried. "The little sissy wet himself." He pointed to a puddle of urine that covered Dale's feet and the floor.

"Dale, this is it," Theodore said. 'Tell your father you love him. Just say to him what you say to Foxglove every morning."

Dale took a breath. "Okay, here it goes," he stated. "Dad . . ., I hate you."

Jeremy sighed. "I never thought I'd see the day when my own boy would stop loving me," he said sadly. "Well, it's about time," he added happily. "Love's for sissies!"

"Jeremy, pack your things, 'cause you're out of here," Dave ordered.

Jeremy left the house minutes later.