-Abe
What a beautiful morning.
The yellow light of the sun is playing along the quiet streets of the village.
I take a breath, enjoying the sharp fresh air of early morning.
What a day.
The store is mine.
There was a time when I thought that this would never happen but here I am.
I’ve just finished putting an open sign on the front door.
I can’t wait to meet all sorts of new people.
I’m not just a clerk anymore.
I’m a business owner.
“Abe,” the voice of my wife, Mary, pulls me from my thoughts.
“What is it?” I mutter as she walks through the door toward me.
“I have something to tell you,” she says in her quiet, nervous way.
“I gathered that, what do you want to tell me?”
“Um. It’s this way, I’m proud of you, and…”
“What? Did I hear you right?”
“Yes. Why?”
I scratch my head. “I’m surprised that’s all.” I examine her face for signs of distress. “You were always against buying this store. What happened to you?”
“Well,” Mary pauses. ”I got some advice that I should lighten up a little bit.”
“Let me guess, you were listening to the radio again.”
My wife pauses. Unsure of what to say.
“Don’t worry, I know you’ve got that little radio hidden in the closet.”
Panic enters her eyes. “I was going to tell you but…”
“You’ve been listening to those preachers on it, haven’t you?”
“Yes. Um. What are you going to do about it?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing.” She repeats to herself as if she can’t quite believe it.
“That’s what I said.”
“You know, maybe, we could read the Bible together sometime.”
“No.” I see her face collapse into a picture of disappointment. “You can read it but I don’t want to.”
“Alright,” she smiles at me, still nervous. “I’ll respect that.”
“Good, I’m glad we got all that out into the open,” I say as I reach for her hand. She takes it and then I pull her to stand at my side.
“You know Mary, we’ve had a hard time this past while…”
“It’s all part of adjusting to married life.”
“Yes. But, I think we could have done better than we did.” I take a deep breath as I search for the next words. “What…what…do you say we make a new start?”
“I think that’d be a good idea,” Mary agrees.
“We’re two very different people, but we’re in this together…and…”
“Not quite,” Mary interjects.
“What do you mean, not quite?”
“You’re right, we are in this together…but…but…”
“But what?”
“Someone will be joining us.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I’m pregnant, Abe!”
“Pregnant?”
“Yes, that’s what I came out here to tell you!”
What can I say? I’m speechless.
Kelvin Bueckert 