Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: UNBORN (07/27/23)
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TITLE: The Sea Washed Away Her Tears | Previous Challenge Entry
By Art Westefeld
08/03/23 -
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Gwelly squealed with delight. "My mother took me to our village midwife. I'll ask her to come see you, Lori daughter."
Gwelly gave her a hug and Lori went home to ask her husband if he could expedite the midwife's visit. Being married to the son of the high priest should count for something, right?
A few days later, a mermaid arrived at Lori's door. She introduced herself as Pua. Lori realised that her name sounded similar to a character in Exodus and felt a bit more at ease.
Pua did a brief examination and announced, "You are experiencing Eeduccas's child. I will try to get assigned to the temple apartments to care for you."
That was a simple matter, since Eeduccas was willing to do anything for Lori.
Pua, however, insisted that Lori take it easy as she had never had a half-human patient before. Lori grumbled, "I feel like a cliche. 'Get plenty of bedrest. Don't overextend yourself.' I've always been perfectly healthy."
One afternoon, Lori slipped away from the temple to go for a swim in the open sea. Having lived there for several years, she was reasonably familiar with the dangers. She thought very little of seeing a shark heading in her direction. She had learned from her father that hitting a shark on its snout usually got it to leave.
When the great beast started to attack her, she hit it with all her might on it's nose, but not before it hit her in the abdomen. She felt the pain of the bump, but didn’t think much about it.
When she returned home and the pain hadn’t receded, she summoned Pua to check on her baby. Pua hung her head in sorrow. Lori didn’t need to hear the midwife’s whispered statement, “I’m sorry, but the baby has gone to swim with the ancestors,” to understand the situation.
Lori attempted a stoic expression, but it was obvious that she was devastated. After a couple of minutes of silence, she told Pua, “I need to be alone.”
In reality, she was concentrating with all her strength to communicate telepathically with her friend Mariness. Pua left, and less than a half hour later Mariness arrived. Throwing her arms around her friend, Lori let go of her anguish. Mariness felt her friend’s chest heaving with sobs, but didn’t see any tears.
‘Of course not.' Mariness realised. The sea washed away the tears as soon as they came out of her tear ducts. After the storm of sobs subsided, Mariness asked quietly, “Would you like me to get pastor Steve down here?”
Before Lori could answer, Eeduccas burst in, rage warring with sorrow on his face. He bubbled, “Pua just told me about our baby. Why did you want this surface-dweller to see you before your husband?”
“I wanted to talk with a female friend while I tried to deal with the death of our baby.” Then she was racked with more sobs.
Mariness edged toward the door. “If you two want, I can leave,” she murmured.
“Okay, but please get Pastor Steve down here if you can.”
Eeduccas nodded. “That’s the man who married us, right?”
Too weary to speak, Lori nodded.
“My father will not like it, but I swore to do anything to make you happy,” said
Eeduccas.
An hour later, Pastor Steve entered the priestly quarters. It wasn’t the first time he’d consoled a couple enduring miscarriage, but it was the first time he had to do so under hostile conditions. He decided to use what he’d read from Billy Graham. “Lori, I’m sorry for your loss, but please try to remember four things. First, nobody can thwart God’s plan. Second, as hard as it is to believe, God can use this to bring about good. Third, this hole in your heart will heal. And lastly, God’s abundant grace is sufficient for you.”
He reached into his satchel and pulled out a Bible. “I had this waterproofed for you. I bookmarked Romans 8:28, Job 42, and Psalm 23. I hope it is of comfort to you.”
*****
Author’s note: Steve’s council comes from https://billygraham.org/story/biblical-encouragement-women-healing-miscarriage/.
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Well written.
God BLess~