6:18 p.m. Passion Ministry

Standing in the wings, surrounded by his trusted friends, John’s intense fear faded. Everyone was talking at once and as he let their excited chatter wash over him, he began to calm down.

Maybe Maggie was right, he thought. I’m overreacting, giving in to these stupid panic attacks. He smiled at the beaming faces around him, then chuckled to himself. The shoemaker always forgets to mend his own shoes.

Still, it would be wonderful if he, Maggie and Jimmy could slip away, even for a few days. Phil would go ballistic, of course, but that wouldn’t stop them. He would talk to Maggie tomorrow. His anxieties may be irrational, but he would feel better if his family was temporarily out of sight.