IF IT HAPPENED NOW
“What’s up, babe? Your latte’s
getting cold.”
“I’ve gone off coffee, Joe – get me
an orange juice instead.”
Joe returned from the counter wearing
a worried frown, “You’ve been moody all week and now you’ve gone off coffee –
are you breaking up with me?”
Mary couldn’t meet his soft brown
eyes. “You might want to dump me when I tell you – I’m having a baby.”
“I’m going to be a dad? That’s
brilliant!”
“It’s not yours.” The words dropped
like a stone between them.
Joe leaped up so violently that other customers
stared. “Whose is it then? I thought you loved me.”
Mary shrugged helplessly. “I do love
you, Joe, but I didn’t have a choice.”
“You mean someone forced you? I’ll
bloody kill him!”
“It wasn’t like that." Mary looked up at Joe, willing him to believe her. "This angel turned
up out of nowhere and told me God’s been watching me and decided I’m the right one to have His
baby. The angel said this baby will save the world one day.”
“And you expect me to believe that?”
Joe’s voice dripped scorn.
Mary shrank back in her seat, her
hands protecting her belly, and a tear trickled down her cheek. “I’m having a
hard time believing it myself, but I swear it’s the truth. I’m dreading telling Mum and
Dad.”
Joe sat down slowly and wiped her
tears away with his calloused carpenter’s thumbs. “I can’t deny it’s a hell of a
shock, Mary,” he said gently. "It's the wildest story I've ever heard, but I believe you - somehow we’ll work it out.” He
grinned suddenly. “I’ve always wanted to be a dad.”
And right there, in an ordinary coffee bar in an unremarkable town, Mary and Joseph were enveloped in a glow that the barista swore later resembled the wings of an angel.
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Please don't go without leaving a comment!
That's beautiful! I don't recall reading it before. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks Helen. I posted it in 2016 - maybe I didn't share it on the forum.
DeleteLovely story Liz x
ReplyDeleteThanks Heather.
DeleteLovely! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting.
DeleteI am without words. That was marvelous.
ReplyDelete