The morning was brisk, the kind of cool that hinted at Thanksgiving around the corner. Thomas crossed the street to Veronica’s house, backpack over one shoulder, ready for another day of school. He stepped onto the porch and raised his hand to knock, but May spotted him through the front window and opened the door with a smile.
“Thomas! Come on in for a minute,” she said, stepping aside to let him in.
He walked into the cozy front room, where the scent of fresh coffee lingered and the house hummed with quiet movement. Before he could say much, Daniel appeared from the hallway, straightening his tie.
“Good—you’re here,” Daniel said. “With everything going on, I forgot to mention it last night. I’d like you to come to the lodge tonight in a suit—or at least slacks and a jacket.”
Thomas raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on?”
“We’d like you to give a short summary of your understanding of Summa Theologica,” Daniel replied, his tone light but serious. “The Worshipful Master will probably have a few follow-up questions too. Nothing harsh—just be prepared.”
Thomas blinked, caught off guard. “Tonight?”
Daniel nodded. “Also, we’ve been talking about how to present your Christmas outreach and tutoring ideas to the lodge. They’re interested—but it’ll need to be clear and well-framed.”
Thomas rubbed the back of his neck. “Right. Well… I was planning to talk to Jonathan about it during lunch. We still have time until Christmas. Honestly, the hard part is going to be identifying the right families. The ones who really need it.”
May gave him an encouraging smile. “Just speak from the heart. You’ve already made an impression. The rest will follow.”
Before Thomas could reply, Veronica came in from the back of the house, her bag slung over her shoulder. Her eyes lit up when she saw him.
“You know,” she said, stepping closer, “I owe you something from Shoshana.”
Thomas tilted his head, puzzled. “What?”
Without another word, Veronica gave him a quick hug and a gentle kiss on the cheek.
Thomas blinked, then laughed. “Do you know you’re wonderful?”
She smiled. “Let’s go. And yes—I’ll give Jonathan a heads-up about what we talked about last night.”
As they stepped out into the cool morning, Thomas felt a strange mixture of nerves and gratitude tighten in his chest. Lodge night. Summa Theologica. Christmas outreach. And Shoshana, still far but closer in spirit than ever.
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Thanksgiving couldn’t come soon enough.
Lunch hour was halfway through when Thomas spotted Jonathan sitting alone at a table near the back of the cafeteria. He made his way over and slid into the seat beside him with a nod.
“Hey,” Thomas said quietly. “I’ve got a few things I’d like to coordinate with you—some ideas. But this isn’t the place to get into it.”
Jonathan looked up, curious but respectful. “Alright. Just let me know when.”
Thomas nodded. “I’ll be at Daniel’s bookshop on Saturday. If you’ve got time, maybe bring your copy of Summa Theologica. We can go over a few details.”
Jonathan’s expression softened. “Thanks. That actually means a lot to me.”
Thomas smiled. “If anything urgent comes up before then, check with Veronica. She knows what’s in the works.”
The rest of lunch passed in easy rhythm—tests, teachers, the usual banter. Whatever Thomas had in mind, it could wait. But the seed had been planted.
Later, in the car on the way to JSBSO, Veronica glanced over. “Alright, suit and jacket? What’s the occasion?”
Thomas straightened his collar, half-smirking. “Your dad wants me to present my summary on Summa Theologica tonight at the lodge.”
Veronica blinked, then smiled. “Seriously? That’s awesome. So… not riding home with me, huh?”
Thomas shrugged. “Figured I’d catch a ride with your dad. Or maybe Eric, depending on how the night goes.”
Veronica made a thoughtful sound. “Still, pretty cool. You nervous?”
“A little. But it helps knowing I’m not walking in alone.”
The car rolled on, and for a moment, the world felt full of motion and meaning—like everything was moving into place, one step at a time.
The car hummed quietly as Daniel steered them through the darkened streets, the city lights flickering like distant stars through the windshield. The lodge meeting was behind them now, but the weight of it still lingered between them—dignified, thoughtful, real.
Daniel glanced over at Thomas, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “That was a good presentation. Honestly, I think you got at least one lodge member to rethink his whole understanding of Summa Theologica.”
Thomas let out a breath, relieved but still a bit stunned. “Really?”
Daniel nodded. “And I was impressed. The way you handled the questions—like you weren’t thrown off at all. Calm, clear. It made a difference.”
Thomas gave a tired but grateful smile. “Thanks for your support. I’m especially glad you let me put forward you and Eric on the next round of ideas. I think it’ll mean more coming from established members.”
Daniel chuckled, not dismissively but with something like admiration. “There are times you have this instinct—for what needs to be done, and how to do it without making it about you. You could’ve presented the whole plan yourself and people would’ve listened. But by bringing us forward, you gave the idea legs—and legitimacy.”
He made a turn onto a quieter street, slowing slightly.
“I know it might feel frustrating that it got tabled for a week,” Daniel added, “but honestly, that’s a good thing. It means the lodge is taking it seriously. We need that time to process it right.”
Thomas nodded slowly, the tension in his shoulders beginning to ease. “I get that. I’m planning to coordinate more with Jonathan in the meantime. But… this holiday service? It’s going to need more coordination than a cricket game ever did.”
Daniel let out a quiet laugh. “You’re not wrong. But you’ve already laid the foundation. Now we build.”
They drove on in companionable silence, the quiet not empty but full—with trust, momentum, and the sense that something important had begun to take root.
