Eden’s Phone
*outgoing call*
Eden : Hi.
JamesP : Hi there. How are you, Eden?
Eden : I’m good. Do you have a minute? I don’t want to impose, I know you’re busy... Should I have texted instead of calling?
JamesP : I have all the time in the world for you. I love that you called me. What’s up?
Eden : How hard are you trying not to call me ‘sweetheart’ right now?
JamesP : Pretty hard. But only because you are one.
Eden : Thank you. What a sweet thing to say .
JamesP : Ok, you sounded extremely surprised that I said something sweet right now. Hurt.
Eden : *laughing* Sorry, I’m sorry, it’s true, I was surprised. But wait till you hear what I want to ask you. That will be a surprise.
JamesP : Hit me.
Eden : Could you read the Bible to me? Out loud, I mean?
JamesP : To you? Sure. Wait, let me open the app on my phone. Putting you on speaker.
Eden : Aren’t you going to ask me why I can’t read it myself?
JamesP : None of my business.
Eden : I can read, you know.
JamesP : Duly noted. Ok, opened the app. Any preference?
Eden : No. Aren’t you curious why I can’t read it myself and I’m asking you to read it for me?
JamesP : Very.
Eden : You are a little annoying, you know. Isaiah is right.
JamesP : Your little boyfriend is rarely right. But if this is the one occasion, don’t let him know. That’s the last thing we need right now, him thinking he’s right.
Eden : You are also very stressful.
JamesP : Sorry. I’m sorry. I… It was not my intention. Don’t tell Zay.
Eden : Now you sound scared. I was mostly kidding, you’re not that bad, honestly. I trust you. That’s why you were the one I called. I knew you wouldn’t laugh at me or make me feel embarrassed .
JamesP : I would die if I ever made you feel like that, Eden. I am honored by your trust. If you give me another chance, I will try not to… be myself, you know?
Eden : Being yourself is the best thing you can be. Ok, can we get to the reading now? I think that is what is stressing me, and not you , to be fair. Sorry.
JamesP : Why does it stress you, if you don’t mind saying?
Eden : It’s my… It’s because of Solomon. After he died, I couldn’t have faith in God anymore, because I kept hearing his lies, his voice in my head. He used faith and manipulated it to fit his lies and poison. How can I have faith without the trauma? How can I separate my faith from the abuse that got done to me? All the trauma his so-called religion taught me?
JamesP : Oh, sweetheart.
JamesP : Sorry, sorry, it slipped out. But, I mean, Eden.
Eden : I’m actually starting to like it. Anyway, that was not true religion, was it?
JamesP : It was not.
Eden : It wasn’t love. It wasn’t truth. For him, these words were just another way to lie. To hide. To force his will on others… On me.
JamesP : There is a truth no one can take away from you. It’s your truth. Otherwise known as faith.
Eden : I think so too. The truth is the truth no matter what, and love will persevere. And I keep the faith. Always I keep the faith.
JamesP : Keep the faith.
Eden : To do that, I need to listen to the written words. I can’t read them myself anymore, because I hear them in his voice, in my head. Can you help ?
JamesP : Can I help, she asks. I am help incarnate.
Eden : *giggles*
JamesP : Ok, getting started. Tell me when to stop:
Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
listen, that you may live.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn will grow evergreen,
and myrtle instead of briers.
And this will endure forever,
Because I have promised it.
Eden : That was beautiful. Where is it from?
JamesP : You sound like you’re crying. Are you crying? Please don’t cry. Zay will murder me dead.
JamesP : It’s Isaiah 55.
Eden : Of course it’s from the book of Isaiah.
JamesP : It was our dad’s favorite passage. Zay is named after it.
Eden : So his full name is Isaiah 55?
JamesP : *silence *
JamesP : *uncontrollable laughter*
Eden : When you can breathe again, I have a question. Is this real, those words you read? Can it happen? The thorns turning to myrtle and evergreen?
JamesP : Yeah. Yes, it can.
Eden : You mean that you personally believe it?
JamesP : I mean that it has already happened. You are proof that it can happen, because it’s happened to you, Eden. To you and my brother.
Eden : Thank you for saying that, James.
JamesP : Wanna do this again?
Eden : Oh, yes.
JamesP : Tomorrow?
Eden : You—You have time?
JamesP : I’ll make time.
Eden : I would love that. Thank you, James.
JamesP : My pleasure, sweetheart.