Chapter Eighteen

Aaron debated in his mind whether to approach Rebecca about her website or not. Obviously she didn't want everybody to know about it or she would have told him, but he didn't want to replay everything that had just happened with the Dare. 'Withholding information' was just as good as lying, and if he did any more of that he'd be just as good as dead.

He took his turn on the Monopoly game board and forked out some money for tax. He had enough cash, considering he'd already collected several thousand dollars from Rebecca because he had a few houses on Boardwalk and several on the green properties. "So…" he began, handing over the dice. "When did you first start your site?"

Rebecca brought her head up sharply and looked at him with confusion. He hadn't meant to take her by surprise, but he knew he had to ask about it sometime. "Site?"

"Your internet site for cancer and disease patients," Aaron explained. When her eyes went wide, contrasting with her frown, he smiled and went on. "Chris sent me your link and your email to Jennifer. He'd been browsing the internet… only God knows what for."

She looked embarrassed, and for once there was a tint of pink on her cheeks. For the past few days she'd been pale, and he was glad to see some color on her face. "I… didn't know my site was so easy to find."

Aaron smiled what he hoped was a warm and kind smile. He picked up her hand and kissed her palm. "That's incredibly nice of you to start a site like that. You know that's God's calling for you."

"I hope it is," Rebecca sighed. "Because if it isn't I don't know if I could stop. I've been reading and replying to emails for five years now… I would feel so cheap, like I was deserting them, if I had to shut the site down."

"I don't know why God would not want you to do something that you're perfect at. You're helping so many lost people… you could bring so many people to Christ when it's important that they do so in case He does take their lives," Aaron said.

She smiled. "Three people in the last year have become believers. You have no idea how that makes me feel. And to think the happiness that I feel is only a small fraction compared to the party going on in heaven."

"When I was little and I accepted Christ, I remember my mother smiling and telling me that the angels were rejoicing in heaven because of my choice. My mom still laughs about the expression on my face when I asked why on earth would they would be happy just because a little five-year-old made a decision for Him," Aaron laughed, and he warmed at the sight of Rebecca across the coffee table on her couch, smiling cheerfully over at him.

"Aaron!" shouted a voice from across the sanctuary. He was chatting with some of his friends from youth group after the church service when Teri caught up with him. "Just the guy I was looking for." Aaron said goodbye to the people he was talking to and turned back to the cheerful junior, who was already continuing, "I don't know what you want to do about the Dare."

He smiled sardonically. "Should you really be asking me about that?"

Teri looked confused, and he realized he should be a bit nicer to the girl because part of the ruined Dare was his fault, too. "Look, Teri, I know the Dare for this year didn't work out, but we all have a part in it. I was given it thinking that I would just befriend her without hurting any feelings… in fact; I was foolish to think so. But I do think that it was partly the juniors' fault because they came up with the Dare; and don't go saying you're the innocent party. I was going to sort things out with Rebecca and would have if you hadn't told everyone.

"But," he sighed. "I have to say that I could have told her sooner, could have stated my motives the second I started my efforts."

Still frowning, Teri shrugged. "Okay, that's awesome, the true confessions and all, and I do regret making it harder for you and Rebecca… but that doesn't solve our problem. Some of the youth group kids still don't know all about what happened with the Dare."

Aaron fought anger as he said, "Well, I guess that's up to you," before he turned on his heel to go chat with someone kinder.