Page 24 of Bless This Hot Mess
“Ronald, we know this is gonna sound crazy,” Japhethbegan, his voice sincere, “but we think Jesus has a plan for us. He wants the three of us together. We don’t know why, but we gotta have faith. There's a reason Jesus is bringing us together now.”
Ronald brought up his other hand, halting the spinning the ball, and stared blankly at Japheth, “Who?”
Rebekkah gasped, “Jesus! Wait, have you never heard of Jesus?”
Japheth gave her a knowing look. “Rebekkah, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
She nodded with fervor, “Salvation time!”
Japheth stepped forward; his voice filled with a missionary-like zeal, “Ronald, Jesus is like the coolest, best friend that you never see.”
“Like a ghost?” Ronald asked, his brow scrunched in confusion.
“He’s always with you,” Rebekkah chimed in, “when you’re sleeping and when you’re awake!”
Ronald smirked, folding his arms, “Like Santa?”
Japheth blew out a breath, seeing this was going to be harder than he thought. He kept his tone serious, “He makes everything we do in life have meaning. Like, we’re not just doing things for ourselves; we’re doing them for Him!”
“Why?” Ronald asked, the skepticism clear in his voice.
Rebekkah chimed in, passionately, “Playing basketball alone? Nope! You’re doing it with Jesus!”
Japheth nodded eagerly, taking up Rebekkah’s lead, “Why shoot hoops and sing to yourself, when you could shoot hoops with Jesus?”
“Three-pointers! Dribbles. Drabbles!” Rebekkah enthused, nodding vigorously, “Whatever else happens in basketball, but withJesus!”
Ronald narrowed his eyes, squinting in mild confusion, “What team does he play for?”
Japheth paused, trying to keep his exasperation in check. He glanced at Rebekkah, who began to hum. Soon her humming evolved into something more: it was a melody, a catchy pop tune. Japheth immediately understood, if they couldn’t convince him with their words, they’d have to do it with a song. He launched into the lyrics with complete conviction,
“He’s into crucifixion. To Jerusalem,
He’s sent to be killed.
I feel a premonition.
He’s gonna die on that skull-shaped hill.”
Without missing a beat, Rebekkah took over on the next stanza,
“He’s into revelations,
raising people from the dead.
Leave your rowboat, leave your nets now.
‘Follow me’ is what he said!”
Then in a haunting chorus, Japheth and Rebekkah braided their voices together in a harmony that was melancholy but heartfelt,
“They made Him take His clothes off
and the sky began to rain!
He screamed out, ‘God forgive them,
and I’ll take away their pain. Come on!”
