Heaven on Earth

Part 13

"Good morning Erasmus, how are you?...good morning, I'm good and you?...I'm good too, hope you slept well...yes I did...okay let me prepare breakfast quickly before we go to work...no, don't bother yourself, I'm running late so will get something at the cafeteria...oh ok, I'll also eat at work then...please finish your breakfast before coming to the office. Here, use this to take a cab...okay, thank you but I hope everything is okay, you don't look like your normal self...I'm okay, see you later...okay". Erasmus wasn't behaving like himself and Rose felt he was avoiding her. She prepared breakfast for herself and got ready for work.

At work:
"Hey Rose, you look good...thank you...anyway, how are you doing?...I'm good, you?...I'm great. Are you okay? You don't look so cheerful...mmm yeah I'm good...Rose, you can talk to me if anything is bothering you okay...okay, can we talk when you're less busy please...of course, better still let's go out for lunch, I know a place close by the office, are you okay with that?...yes please. Thank you very much...don't mention and please smile, you're more beautiful when you do...okay" she just smiled and continued her work.

Erasmus on the other hand, kept snapping at the least provocation for reasons best known to him. His friend and colleague, Alex, came to his office to check on him
"Hey man, what's up?...I'm okay, you?...good good but you look disturbed, talk to me...sit down Alex...this must be serious for you to ask me to sit...there's this girl I really like but another dude is using church stuff to get close to her, it's really getting to me...come on bro, use your charm to get her. Many girls would do anything to have you and here you are worrying your head over just one...you have no idea who she is and what she means to me...I can tell from the way you talk about her. What about Clara?...we broke up some weeks ago...oh wow, you sure move fast... Alex, Rose is different from the other ladies I've been with...I see, any girl would fall for you easily, use your charm to get her, she will give in to you...the problem is, I kinda avoided her this morning so not sure if she's upset with me...that's simple, buy her flowers or an expensive gift...a gift is better, flowers sounds too cheezy...perfect, I got some deadlines to meet, catch you later...sure man, thanks, I owe you one...anytime". He quickly placed an order for a necklace in a jewellery store not too far from their office.

At lunch time, Kirk and Rose made it to a restaurant close to the office, ordered food and soft drinks and begun to dig in.
"Rose, about what you wanted to tell me, can I hear it now?...mmhm, it's about Erasmus... what about him? Is he bothering you?...oh no, not that, I think he's not happy about me going to church and least of all, hunging out with you...well, I'm not exactly surprised, he never really liked me and doesn't pretend about it... do you know why he doesn't like you?...I think it's because I don't flow with the guys like they expect me to, I'm different...yeah, I noticed. I also want to move out of his place as soon as possible because I know it's not appropriate for a lady to be in the same house with a man alone whom she's not married to...you're right, I'll help you look for an apartment. Has he made any advances towards you?... no he hasn't, as a matter of fact, he was avoiding me this morning...hence your mood when I saw you?...yeah...Rose, nothing and no one should determine your mood in life. You must choose to be happy regardless, not only happy but joyful and only the Holy Spirit can give you that joy such that even in the face of daunting situations, you're unmoved... I wish I could see life the way you do...just keep studying the word of God and not forsaking the assembly of the brethren, I can assure you, your outlook about life will be altered. I've been meaning to ask you this...go ahead please...how come you live with Erasmus?... huh, it's a long story...wait" he checked the time on his wrist watch "we still have 40mins more before going back to the office, I'm sure you could work something out" he winked at her.

Rose told him how she lost her parents, slept on the streets for some days and finally ended up at Erasmus' place after the accident.
"I understand you better, you've been through a lot but I tell you, you're now a living testimony, God has turned your life around and he has just begun with you...I hope so" she left out the rape aspect as she felt ashamed of herself that probably Kirk would not even want to have anything to do with her when he gets to know.

They went back to the office and finished their work for the day. She had not seen Erasmus yet so when she closed, she went to his office to check on him and possibly go home with him. To her surprise, there was no one in the office, apparently he had already left without her. She just went out and was heading towards the bus station when someone honked the horn at her.

"Rose, where are you going?...I'm going to the station to get a car home...okay, I thought you normally go with Erasmus...yeah but he left...please hop in and let me drop you off...you don't have to...I insist". Kirk had rolled his glass and was talking to her, she got in and they drove off.

"From what I've gathered, Erasmus is acting up...not exactly. It's just this morning he started behaving differently towards me. He left for work without me and same thing now... I could be coming for you to and from work, if that's okay with you...thanks, that's very kind of you but...come on, no buts...okay, thank you, really, I'm grateful...you're welcome".