Ruth: Reimagined

Family

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Family
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When Elimilek stepped into the house with the unexpected visitors, there was a moment of silence.

Elimilek broke it with his laughter, he pulled away from the man, to bring his wife in for a small embrace, and a quick kiss on the lips.

“This is my wife, Naomi.” He introduced, smiling with pride in his eyes.

Naomi bowed slightly, under the gaze of the unexpected visitors. “Pleasure to meet you all.”

“Boys, stop staring and come greet.”  As they made their way towards them, Elimilek pointed. “That's my first born, Mahlon, the one with the thinking problem.”

And Elimilek and the unexpected visitors all shared a laugh, while Mahlon stared at his father, feeling invaded, his cheeks inflamed.

“That is Chillon, my last born, the one with the eating problem.”

And the same thing commenced again, Elimilek and the unexpected visitors fell into laughter, louder this time.

Chillion opened his mouth, shocked.

“Thank you, Naomi for welcoming us into your lovely home,” the man spoke, a deep voice with a thick accent, that none of them could mistake.

Chillion and Mahlon shared a look.

He was tall with a brown beard and a deep set of brown eyes and  fair skin.

“I'm Benesh and this is my family.” He made a motion with his head and a woman stepped closer.

She was a tall woman, slim with black hair that hung by her shoulders. Her smile was magnificent and she revealed it in a slow, gentle way.

“This is my beautiful wife, Zelda.”

Zelda bowed slightly.

“Pleasure to meet you all.”

One of the girls stepped forward and Chillion's heart stopped for a second.

She was strikingly beautiful, with fair skin, long black hair that reached her waist and her mother's magnificent smile. “This is my daughter, Yakira, she's my last born. The one with the temper.”

Yakira met her father's comment with a hard stare, but the smile remained in her eyes.

Then the last girl stepped forward, quite hesitant. Unlike her sister, her features were more soft. She carried a delicate beauty,  her short black hair covered her face like a curtain as she bowed, a deeper dip.

“And this lovely lady right here, is my first born. Yonah. Spoke her first words when she was five, as I like to say.”

Everyone laughed,and because her cheeks were a pale colour, the faint blush was noticeable.

“Father, who are these people?” Chillion asked the pressing question.

Elimilek's smile broadened.

“They're Israelites! That's who they are!”

Elimilek briefly explained how, while tending the field, he met up with an Israelite man who also moved to Moab due to the famine.

The Israel man who also happened to be an  Ephrathite and who also came from Bethlehem Judah. 

A miracle!

That's what it was, and that's why right after work, Elimilek strongly insisted that Benesh and his whole family come for dinner at his home.

Naomi couldn't deny the ease that settled in her heart from simply seeing another Israelite woman. She pulled Zelda in for a hug, they exchanged pleasantries and then she hugged both of her daughters,who already felt like her daughters.