Promises Fullfilled.

ACT II

ACT II
SCENE I
Mary, beautiful, simple and somewhat pale is dressed in a purplish long dress and a white scarf wrapped around her hair  coming  from the woods gathering mushrooms and fresh herbs to take home. She feels someone or something is following her. She turns to confirm and she is actually alone. The environment becomes a bit chilly and wind that she paces in strides to reach home quickly. As soon as she reaches home, she puts away the basket in her hand. As she settles at the table, she hears a knock at the door. She hurriedly goes to the door to respond to it. As she opens the door, she is slammed with bright blinding light at first sight. She falls back on her knees as the whooshing wind grows stronger as the light subsidizes. She notices it is the Angel of the Lord before her. She prostrates before it in reverence.
ANGEL
Arise child of God. Be not afraid of me. (Everything settles back to normal and she notices. She gets up in humility but remains on her knees.) I am a bearer of good news for you and your house.
MARY
I am but your humble servant my Lord.
ANGEL
Your Father in heaven has a greater purpose for you here on earth. You will carry His Son in you womb and He will be birthed by you and He will be the flesh of your flesh and bone of your bone. You will name Him Yeshua.
MARY
But my Lord, I am not yet married and I have not known any man and my betrothed and I haven’t even thought of having children as yet.
ANGEL
Worry not humble servant. Nothing will stop His will to pass and neither will anything stop the both of you from being married. The Lord most high believes in you and so should you.
(The angel shines again and whooshes itself away in a split of a second.)
Mary gets up and feels a change in her body. For some reason the nosey neighbors have gotten to see the angels manifestation and his message. And they spread the word allover like bush fire without her knowing.

SCENE II
Joseph a hardworking carpenter by the market is busy with his work. Word flies around from the locals about his wife to be Mary and her angel visit to her. He hears that she has been made pregnant by the Holy Spirit and the angel. He rushes home like a gazelle being chased by an Apex predator. As soon as he reaches her home, he vigorously knocks at her door. She comes to the door and sees him there. she gets excited and strongly embraces him. He quickly cuts off the embrace and walks in to a nearby chair.
MARY
(Excitedly still to Joseph who is otherwise.) Welcome home my dear. I was eagerly waiting for you to come. I have great news for you.
JOSEPH
(Angrily to Mary.) Is it true, what I am hearing out there?
MARY
I am sorry I do not follow dear one. (She kneels before him gently.)
JOSEPH
Did or did not an angel of the Lord visit you today while I was away?
MARY
(She becomes mesmerized and shocked over his question.) I haven’t told anyone yet about this. How did you even know?

JOSEPH
So that is a yes then. (He gets up on his feet and walks towards the door.) Whatever you and the Angel discussed, I won’t be part of it. The child He promised you to carry, that is not and will never be mine. Stay away from me.
MARY
(While crying.) Joseph please… (He pays no attention and leaves her home enraged and weakened. She sobs for a while on her own and looks to the heavens.) Give me the strength dear Lord to go through this. For on my own I cannot… (She continues to sob to herself to the ground beneath her.)

SCENE III
Joseph feeling disappointed about the entire scenario, he sluggishly walks back to his workplace and still the people and the vendors and traders in the market place that have already known what has happened to his bride to be keep on gossiping in whispers as he passes by. And as much as he desires to escape them, he cannot. He reaches his workplace and finds his colleague Pispah organizing and cleaning up the place. He sits on one of the furniture pieces downcast silent. Pispah, who had noticed him as he entered gets concerned, leaves everything and draws closer to him.
PISPAH
You look like one about to die my friend. What has just hit you?
JOSEPH
(He stays silent for a while to himself.) Mary and I are no more. I called the engagement off.
PISPAH
(In wonder.) You don’t say.
JOSEPH
Aye. It is what it is now. I heard rumors about her encounter with the angel of the Lord and she confirmed it to me. Now she is pregnant and yet the child is not mine.
PISPAH
So you are telling me that the both of you have never lain together? (He nods in silence.) Then what if she had another affair and disguised it with that kind of lie?
JOSEPH
I don’t know and do not care anymore. Damage is done. And I am done with her now. I cannot be father to what is not mine. (He sighs heavily) Anyways, let me not bother you with my relationship drama. You should go home now. It is getting late. I will clean and close up. Go have some rest. Tomorrow is another day.
PISPAH
If you say so then. However I advise you not to be lonely at this time and in this moment. You should get someone new to ease your pain.
(Joseph says no word in response. Pispah gets his things and walks out of their carpentry shop.)
As soon as he is out of their shop, he becomes a reliable source of the information to those that have been gossiping about it around their shop and to the venders and traders in the market places and now that which was a rumor becomes concrete truth floating and spreading from one mouth to the other like a flooding river.