Chapter Six
Joshua arrived home two nights later to find Sarah sleeping in their bed. He was so overcome with joy to see her again that he hurriedly slipped out of his sullied clothes and crawled on top of her body. With his hands he caressed her face and softly kissed her lips. Her eyes opened and she hugged him tightly before rolling him onto the floor. They made love for hours that night and decided to forget all about getting up the next morning and doing chores. This was their time. Ecstatic with life, Joshua wanted to share that happiness and work once more on creating life. They had planned on having children one blessed day and had worked on such a miracle often. This night, thought Joshua, was the lucky night.
While cleaning the room the following morning, Sarah discovered Joshua’s bloody clothes on the floor. She put her hand to her mouth in shock and dropped them, making a loud racket as the belt buckle smacked onto the wood floor. She fell into the bed, sitting still and silent until Joshua hurried into the room.
“What is the matter?” he asked, out of breath.
“Your clothes are bloody,” she answered. “What happened?”
“I was robbed. I was shot by a small gang of men and left for dead.
“But you are okay,” she said, quite confused.
He knelt beside her and added, “It is a gift that I am here now. I tried to find the strength to make it home but couldn’t. I then had the idea to pray to God to let me live so that I may return to you.” He looked into her soft brown eyes with joy. “My darling, an angel saved me”
She smiled nervously and thankfully at the same time. “My word…” was all that she could manage to say.
“The angel had healed my wounds. It is such a remarkable feeling to have life restored. I felt years younger and was full of optimism for our love. I could not wait to be with you once more and ran home as fast as I could.”
Sarah was obviously happy for her husband’s safe return and knelt down with him in front of their bed and hugged him tightly, kissing him multiple times. “We need to pray and thank God for your return.”
For the next several years their lives continued uninterrupted, and childless. Joshua worked long hours while Sarah kept their home clean and the two of them fed. Often they dined with his parents and would see them again at church on Sunday mornings. It was peaceful. And even with no children to love, they were happy.
During the winter of 1804, however, their lives took a turn for the worse. Sarah became ill with the flu. The town doctors did everything they could for her but the situation never improved. She grew weaker every day. Joshua, afraid of losing her, would not allow himself to venture outside to work. He was beside her almost twenty-four hours a day, watching over her deteriorating body. He would bring her drink when she was thirsty, food when she was hungry, and changed her bed sheets when needed. As he sat beside her bedside he was forced to watch helplessly as his beloved Sarah tossed and turned in her sleep and silently cry from the pain. He felt guilty whenever he had to leave her, even to fill her needs. His heart yearned for her health to return to her. Nightly he made prayers to the same god or gods that helped him to do the same for his wife. No one answered. He had been betrayed.
