Joe agreed. "I'm never leaving you again," he said quietly. "We'll make it somehow."
For the next few weeks Joe spent all day every day searching for a job. No luck. The family's debt grew larger and larger. One day the Dr. Basmati told Mary, "Joey has made progress. We feel he can go home now." His eyes did not seem to believe what his mouth was saying.
"Is his he that much better, or is our debt that much larger?"
"Mrs. Langston, I assure you, we would not let Joey go home if we did not think it was best for him," Dr. Basmati said. His face was frozen, but his eyes betrayed an inner pain.
"Thank you, doctor. I know you've done the best you could for Joey," Mary said.
Marge was outraged when the family had to return to her trailer. "They cain't jist turn a sick young'n out in the cold like that!"
Joey was still sick, but seemed to be out of the worst danger.
One day there was a knock at the door. Mary was stunned to see rhe corpulent Mr. Upright/Glubwart. "We are in incensed by the hospital's callousness," he said. The foundation can help you fight this injustice. Our lawyers can file a lawsuit on your behalf. Your full funding can be restored."
"...If my husband abandons us," Mary said icily.
"That would unfortunately be necessary, yes," Upright/Glubwart answered.
"Good bye, Mr. Upright," Mary said. The door closed in his face.
---
Another week went by. And another. A month. There was another knock on the door. Mary was only a little surprised to see a thin black man shaking his fist. "Why didn't you trust in the Lord?" He fairly shouted. "The Lord provideth!"
"We had to seek help," Mary protested. "We had no other way to pay for Joey's care. We don't know what to do now."
"He clothes the sparrows. Would He not care for His own?"
"A miracle? I've never had one," Mary said.
The little black man snorted. "And yet you are here. Among friends. Family. Husband. No miracle?"
"So what do we do now?" Mary asked. "We have debts. No money. A sick child."
"You are in danger!" the black prophet croaked. "He leadeth ye out of temptation, on the path of righteousness, for his namesake. You must take Him to a far country! Protect Him!"
"Him who? I have a husband and two children."
"Protect Him! Protect Him!"
"We finally found a stable home here with Marge. Now you're telling us we have to move again? No. We're staying here."
The little black man appeared two inches taller as his eyes widened. He thundered, "There is immortal danger! Take Him to a far country! The Lord will provide!"
No comments:
Post a Comment