Sacred Scrolls; Chapter 28

 

Sacred Scrolls; Chapter 28

© 2021 by Amber Wright

GOD IS LOVE

“God is love,” Elder John finished the ceremony in the garden with these words spoken warmly and clearly for all to hear, “and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God.”

Elder John prayed over the newly married couple, asking God’s blessings upon them in the days to come. Junia had a little smile on her lips as her eyes were shut tight during the prayer as three words seemed to echo within her, God is love. She was glad she had taken off the old cloak of hatefulness and had put on the fresh cloak of love—God’s love. It was His love that made the difference. That made the sunshine, the joy, the true meaning of life. Now it was time to celebrate. And celebrating was something she had wanted to do for a long, long time.

The music began to play again—the strings, the flutes, the timbrels, the loud and high sounding cymbals—and inside Junia filled with celebration. Her father playing his harp gave her a wide smile as she passed him. As she stood in line to well-wish her newly-married friend and her husband, she felt a tug on her robe and looked down.

Two year-old Paul held up his two chubby hands. “Hold me.”

Junia picked him up and then gave Judith a hug. “I’m so happy for you! And for you, Rufus,” she shook his hand. “Congratulations!”

“It’s the best day of my life!” Judith said by way of expressing her thanks.

“No doubt.” Junia could not resist the moment to tease. “It’s my birthday, that’s why.”

“Thank you.” Rufus then looked down at his bride with a happy smile. “When might be the other addition to your family, Judith?”

Judith made some mouthing motion as Rufus nodded towards Junia with a teasing smile.

“I’m afraid you’re wrong this time, Rufus.” She answered for herself with a chuckle, nodding towards occupied Tiria talking to Nicolas. “Your new sister will be that one, I’m afraid. Tiria’s hooked on Nicolas again, Judith.”

“Baby.” Paul kicked Junia’s leg from his perch. “Go see baby.”

Junia found Andronika and little Andronika standing in the middle of the crowd. When little Andronika saw her, she squealed in recognition and Andronika smiled down at her baby. Junia felt pleased, knowing that the baby recognized her already.

“Paul wants to see your baby.” Junia declared, balancing the little boy on her hip, and shook her head with a pretended frown. “I hope he doesn’t have any fantastic notions yet. She’s only one month and one week old!”

When Andronika did not respond, Junia stopped giggling and looked at her friend carefully. Andronika seemed to be absorbed in watching something. “Andronika—did you hear me?”

“Yes.” Andronika sounded depressed. “I can’t believe it’s been a week already.”

“A week—?” Junia stopped herself. It had been a week now since Alexander has died.

“If only he could’ve lived,” Andronika sounded so strained, “and we could’ve been like that happy couple. I would’ve married him.”

Junia looked at what Andronika had been watching: the happy couple, Judith and Rufus, now receiving well-wishes from everyone.

“I want to be happy on such a happy day,” Andronika’s voice was barely above a whisper, “but I can’t. It’s too hard to think…”

“Don’t think just now, Andronika. Just relax and try not to think. I’ll,” Junia inched away, feeling Andronika wanted some time by herself, “see you later.”

Paul kicked her leg again.

She looked down at him with a frown, “What now?”

“Me play.” Paul clapped on her shoulder with both of his chubby hands. “Down.”

Junia set him down and immediately Paul went toddling over to a group of small children playing in a circle. She had to smile as she watched him walk over to them with an important air. Paul had this little way about him that he just knew everyone would be glad when he joined them. Reaching them, he threw out his hands as he made some noise. She chuckled. Paul was so dramatic…and cute.

But as she looked over at the newly-married couple again her chuckle faded and she felt a little like Andronika, only in a different way. She was losing her best friend today. They would never have those happy, giggling times as single girls. Judith was a married woman.

Junia was about to step into the kitchen doorway when she heard a voice behind her. She turned and scrubbed at her eyes for fear he would see the tears pooling inside them.

“I repeat.” Demetrius pulled one corner of his mouth upwards in a smile. “Happy birthday, Junia.”

Junia sent him back a brave smile, slightly choked in voice. “Thank you.”

“Why are you crying?” Demetrius asked softly, studying her carefully as she tried to stop her sniffling.

“I’m—uh, well…” Junia caught herself before she fell into a lie. “It’s just that…it’s hard losing your best friend like this! I mean—”

She stopped short when she saw Demetrius wrinkle his nose, casting his eyes to the brick floor with a fierce blink. He looked up again, but with red eyes. Her heart stopped.

“It is hard to lose your best friend.” Demetrius did a curt nod, taking a short breath. “But at least your best friend is still alive. Just be thankful for that!”

“I am!” Junia's eyes widened.

“I didn’t mean to sound so sharp. I’m sorry. It’s just…”

“Hard.” She finished for him, glancing back at the milling people in the garden with the nearly picked-clean vineyard and the distant snow-peaked mountains in the background. “I’m happy for them. It’s like they were especially made for each other.”

“A good marriage usually falls along that line,” Demetrius glanced sideways through his terribly thick black eyelashes, “made for each other.”

Junia nodded carefully, trying to take it all in. What is he really meaning? Or is there a meaning to it at all? Small arms grabbed her around her knees, Paul squealing. She looked over her shoulder to see her five year-old nephew Nicodemus running towards them.

“That’s not Base, Paul.” Nicodemus grabbed Paul’s small shoulders. “Come on, you’re it.”

Paul shook his black curls, stubbornly. “This Base.”

Nicodemus shrugged and ran back to the others who were playing tag. Junia looked down at Paul with a smile and his round black eyes stared back up at her with a mischievous glint. She leaned over to tussle his topsy-turvy hair, a breeze ruffling it even more as he stood there sucking onto his thumb. He took it out and opened his mouth.

“Hungry, Junia.” Paul spoke her name slowly and for the first time pronounced it clearly. He grinned, looking pleased with himself.

“It’s almost time to eat, dear. We have to get everything ready.” She told him, tussling his hair again. He started to frown fiercely at her. “Is that alright? Do you want some milk now?”

Junia walked into the kitchen, Paul following with his fierce frown and saying in a pouty voice, “But me hungry now.”

She watched Demetrius bend nearly halfway to pick up the little boy. At first, Paul looked surprised but then he threw out his short arms and wriggled his fingers playfully. “High. Me a bird!”

Demetrius laughed at that and threw him into the air. “Now you’re really high, aren’t you?”

Paul squealed in delight and suddenly grabbed onto Demetrius’ dark hair, and Junia watched him cringe. “How about letting go of my hair, Paul? And now…here, let’s get your milk. Shall we?”

“Yes.” Immediately, Paul’s chubby hands let go and he kicked out his legs happily. “Want milk now.”

Demetrius opened his eyes huge, whistling in relief, and walked towards the table with Paul chattering away. Junia poured a cup of milk for Paul as they came closer. “Here’s your milk, Paul.”

Paul grabbed his cup and it nearly tipped.

“Easy now.” Junia then noticed Demetrius’ tussled hair. “What happened to your hair? Looks like a cyclone has got into it.”

“And that cyclone’s name happens to be Paul.” Demetrius pushed down his topsy-turvy hair with one hand, holding Paul with his other arm.

Paul looked up from drinking his milk with a milk-mustache and a grin. He continued drinking, slowly, but with both hands on his cup on this time.

“He about pulled my wig off!” Demetrius exaggerated, raising his eyebrows dramatically. “I was just throwing him up in the air and he got all excited. Didn’t you, Paul?”

Paul finished his milk before nodding. “Here,” he handed Junia the empty cup while saying in his little commanding voice, so compelling. “Me be bird again. Fly me. Please?”

“Al-right.” Demetrius looked a little alarmed, shaking his head twice. “But no pulling my hair. Alright now?”

“Alright.” Paul nodded obediently and started squealing again as he took up to the air as Demetrius tossed him.

“I think Paul likes you, Demetrius.” Junia said with an underlying grin. “He never takes to people so fast as that before.”

“Well, is liking me a hard thing to do?” Demetrius paused in his tossing and gave her a stricken look.

Junia stared at him, gaping, wondering what should be her answer.

“Well, is it or not?” Demetrius looked away with downcast eyes.

“No, it isn’t hard.” Junia answered him truthfully which put a grin onto his face and a faraway stare.

“Fly me!” Paul tugged on his arm, looking puzzled at his sudden halt.

“Al-right.” Demetrius began tossing Paul again but did not seem to hear all of the little boy's insistent questions and commanding comments.

Paul tugged on his arm again. “Down.” He toddled around the kitchen, getting into things. Suddenly, he exclaimed in that high tone which he used when he was getting into something that he knew he should not get into. “I see fish!”

“No—no, Paul!” Junia hurried over to him and swatted at his chubby hands that were just about to pull a fresh fish from out of its pile in the cooler. “No, you don’t. Leave that there.”

Paul scowled and jutted his bottom lip out. “But I want fish. Me hungry.”

“You’ll get some fish,” Junia closed the leather flap to the cooler, “after it’s cooked. Now, let’s get your hands washed.”

“Shall I cook the fish now then?” Demetrius appeared to come back to the present with a grin. “I can cook, believe it or not.”

Junia saw the eagerness in his eyes to do something, so she gave him a nod and a smile. “I suppose we’d better start the dinner sometime or later. Might as well be now. Here, I’ll cut them and scale them while you get the oven going good and hot.”

“Sounds good to me.” Demetrius reached over to tussle Paul’s curly head as Junia had him seated on the table to wash those fish-smelling hands.

After the little boy’s hands were washed, Junia gave him a crunchy honey cookie. “Now, don’t get into anything else, Paul. Okay?”

Paul nodded with a merry grin, his mouth stuffing with cookie. He pointed to the floor with one stout finger and Junia set him down where he inquisitively stood in the doorway to watch both Demetrius heating up the oven on the patio and her cutting fish on the table in the kitchen.

The sound of music wafted in…and Junia found herself humming as she worked. Music sank into her soul and lifted her spirits—high. She saw Paul cock his head as he leaned against the door frame and his round, watchful black eyes looked all around him curiously as usual, taking in all of the celebration. She smiled. Paul reminded her of herself…but only sometimes.

~

Junia sniffed discreetly as she watched Elder John climb onto his mount, swinging his right leg over the saddle slowly, his white hair showing beneath his brown cap. She stood by the gate beside her parents as Demetrius finished saying goodbye to them. She waited, gulping down the wave of mixed emotions inside her. Disappointment because he chose to go live in Ephesus, anxious because of Demas' unknown whereabouts, and proud in the fact that Demetrius would be hand-printing the Sacred Scrolls with Elder John and the other students in Ephesus. But the distance made her heart sad.

When Demetrius reached his hand out to her, she felt her hand trembling as she raised it to shake his hand goodbye.

“Cold?” His voice made an odd sound.

Junia flashed a glance up at the bright blue sky and felt the warm rays of the autumn sun. No, she was not cold. She smiled faintly and shook her head. Her saliva grew thick, her heart beat away…and she could think of nothing to say.

For the past two weeks she had known of Demetrius’ leaving with Elder John, she had planned her farewell speech. And now, she could not think of a single word of it—all those words that she had laboriously memorized each night, staring up at the dark ceiling, seemed to evaporate from her.

Junia realized she was staring up at him, stricken silent, and she still had an unconsciously tight grip on his hand. Quickly, she started to withdraw her hand and chewed on her bottom lip in embarrassment.

Demetrius let go after a final tight grip. “Goodbye, Junia.”

“Goodbye, Demetrius.” Junia almost choked out the words with a tight throat, her eyes stinging with oncoming tears. Of all of the goodbyes she had said in her sixteen years, this was the worst.

Demetrius looked back just before he mounted and gave them all a small smile which finally rested on Junia. “Thank you, my Fil’os. For everything.”

With that, he mounted. Then he and Elder John waved and started down the street on their journey to Ephesus. Junia found herself staring at the back of their heads as they began to disappear beyond sight…and found herself covering her cheeks with her hands and feeling a wetness. Tears dripped down her face, and she felt her mother squeeze her shoulders and lead her into the villa.

But in the doorway, Junia turned around one last time to watch Demetrius’ dark head disappear out of sight…until she stared at blank clay walls from the houses across the street. She took a deep, unsteady breath before entering the spacious villa. Andronika was busily preparing a picnic inside to take to the Cayster River, knowing Junia need a cheering-up.

Junia smiled at the kind thought. Good friends were hard to find, especially a sister like Andronika.

~

Judith was preparing the midday meal when Junia entered the quaint cottage just beyond the hill past Water Gate.

Everything was in full color outside, the peak of Lydian autumn. The Cayster River rippled through its flowing hills and a bright display of red, orange and yellow trees lined the surrounding countryside. Beyond the green hills, the snow-peaked mountains set the background.

“Good afternoon, Junia.” Judith smiled, placing a bowl of grapes onto the table. “Have a seat. I’m almost finished.”

“Good afternoon, Judith.” Junia smiled as she took a reed-woven chair. She wore clothes to match the season. Her robe was red with a brown edging, her coat was a rusty orange and her veil was brown attached by a yellow headband. As she sat down, she noticed a third place set. “Who else is coming? I see three plates.”

“Nicolas.” Judith came back from the patio with a pitcher of milk. “He’s fishing at the river as usual. I told him he’d better work someway or he’ll never get married.”

“Who’s getting married?” Nicolas came through the door leading to the patio wearing a merry expression.

A Few Greek Words:

Fil'os: friend

Meh'tehr: mother

Pah'tehr: father

Adher'fi: sister

Adher'fos: brother