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“‘But Jesus said, Let the children come to Me. For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” Peter spoke each word of the verse with a wavering resonance. His ordinarily calm voice was now unsteady and sad. “Good one.”

“Geez, are you okay?” Katherine asked, even though she knew that not having children still broke his heart.

“Sure,” he said. “Are you?”

“You know, I see what you’re trying to do.” Katherine left her seat to grab a canister of sugar from the cupboard. “First, you distract me and steal my victory, then you squeeze my favorite bible verse out of me, andnowyou want me to pour my heart out to you? Sheesh, the nerve of some people.”

Peter chuckled, “Isn’t that why we’ve been meeting here every Friday night for the past four years?”

“Is it?” Katherine looked around as if she were suddenly lost. “I thought this was a game night. I must be in the wrong place.”

As she started to walk out, the pastor and his whistling kettle stopped her. “Come back and have some tea. If you wanna call it a weekly game night, I guess I’ll allow it. But only because I just smoked you at Connect Four.”

“Smoked me?” she laughed. “Did you really just say that?”

“Come on, cut me some slack. This has been the highlight of my year, and you know it.”

Even though Katherine sometimes dreaded coming to the church on Fridays because it was a reminder of what had brought her to Grief Group in the first place, she was grateful for the company. And she knew Peter was as well.

“Fine. You won fair and square. But I expect a re-match,” she said. “How about we call a truce with some pie? I brought your favorite.”

“Maybe later,” he said, holding his midsection as if to say he was still full from the dinner she’d also brought them. “Or maybe I’ll save it for breakfast.”

“What is it with men and pie for breakfast? My dad and Justin do the same thing.”

“Guess you could say we’re threewisemen…ba dum tss!” he said, acting out two snare hits and a cymbal crash.

“Oh geez.” Katherine rolled her eyes. “I didn’t think it was possible, but your corny Dad jokes are getting even worse. Youreallyneed to get out more.”

“What about you?” Peter asked. “Do you ever think about going out? Maybe meeting someone new?”

Katherine’s smile faded as she studied his face, wondering why he was pushing her even harder tonight than he had in a long time.

When she started attending the Friday night Grief Group after her mother’s persistent urging to “give it a try”, she could easily hide among the small crowd, staying silent as the other participants shared. Always passing when the circle of sharing made it her way.

Unfortunately, during her first year of attending, the group dwindled rapidly as other members moved on for one reason or another. Eventually, it was just her and Peter left.

“Wow, you’re really on a mission tonight. What’s with all the questions?” Katherine asked. “Is there somethingyouwant to share?”

There was a long pause.

“And stop trying to think of a nice way to say it. Just say it.”

“Okay,” he said, his voice turning serious. “I think I’m ready to get back out there and meet someone.”

Katherine gasped, clutching her heart. “Why, you scoundrel!”

Peter sighed, shaking his head.

“Well, you don’t have to act so dang shocked. It’s not like I’m a Catholic priest,” he said, the worry on his face fading. “I was married before. You do remember the reason why I’m in Grief Group?”

“You’re notinGrief Group. YourunGrief Group,” Katherine told him, then gestured to the empty room around them. “Truth be told, this isn’t exactly what I’d call a group. If anything, we’re more like a grief pair.”

“Yeah.” Peter nodded. “I see your point. But it doesn’t change the fact that I think I’m ready to move on.”

Suddenly overcome with emotion, Katherine had to bite down her bottom lip to stop herself from crying. She felt like she was losing a friend.

“Oh, now don’t do that!” Peter insisted, reaching out to cup her hands in his. “This doesn’t change our Friday night standing appointment. I just wanted you to know because, God willing, one day, another person might be joining us.”