This place

10.

Through Raphael's eyes

"What's wrong Raphael?" Opal asked

I looked at her muddy brown eyes which were piercing deep into my soul.I just remained silent as if I were a mute.Somebody tell me how I was gonna do it.How was I gonna tell the woman I just met.The woman I was falling in love with,that I can't read?

She moved closer to me.She put her cold hand on mine and looked straight into my eyes with deep concern.
"Tell me Raph.Come on don't be shy."

I loved her personality.

"It's hard to tell you Opal"
"I told you about my dream.It's only fair that you tell me what's troubling you."

She had a point.

"You won't judge?"
"Dude I'm into business not law."
I smiled

I was gonna do it.Tell her dude,tell her now;I said to myself.It was time.

"I can't read the book to you,because I can't..."
"You can't what?Read?"

I sighed.How did she know?
"Yeah" I said as I looked at the ground,in an attempt to escape her gaze.

What was she going to say?Most woman found it funny.They took it as a joke.I know I'm handsome,but that one flaw been clung onto me like a tail,especially now...

I was still looking away.
"Raphael."she said gently
I looked at her smile.
"It's okay.Tell me what happened."

That was a first.She's one special woman,I just wish she knew it too.
It was going to be a challenge,but I decided to open up and tell her.

"Well?" she asked
"Um,I come from a underprivileged family Opal.We didn't have enough money.My parents could not send me to school.I had to find a job and fast,because my father was expected to pass away soon so I had to step up as the oldest and work."

"Do you have siblings?"
"Yeah,two younger sisters.They,along with my mother,were my drive and my fuel to keep moving.I worked and I got enough money to buy her a house.I kept working until I had enough money to build myself a mine.It was tough,but I made it."

She looked like she was deep in thought.
"How,how did you do it all?"
"God.As you can see I'm from a long line of Arabians.Originally my mom was Muslim,but she later gave it up when she heard about the Gospel soon after my father's death.Her family disowned her and us;leaving us in poverty.Nonetheless she kept praying and reading the Bible.She kept having faith even when we gave up.She prayed and God opened the windows of heaven."

A tear went down my cheek.I knew I wanted to weep,but I had to be a macho man and it was worthless.Without my painful past I never would've made it.It's hard to believe it,but it strengthened me.

Opal came over and hugged me.
I wanted to stay in her warm embrace forever.I felt so safe.I can't believe that she understood.She cared.

"You are the strongest man I've ever met,in all aspects of your life."
I saw her small face. She had tears in her eyes.

"How did you manage to run your business without the ability to read?"
"I hired someone."
"You won't have to anymore."
What did she mean?

"What do you mean?"
"I'll teach you."
"Really?"
"Yep."
"Thanks"
"I should be thanking you."

We remained silent for a while.
I watched Opal eat an apple.That woman was some character.She was amazing.I've never met anybody like her.So real.So authentic.So free...

"Thank you by the way." I said
"For?"
"For not judging me" I said while fixing my hair

She just chuckled.

"Raphael,we all have flaws and they make us perfect.Look at me closely for instance."
I looked closely.
"What?" I asked feeling lost
"My eyes.I have a lazy eye.I used to hate myself because of it.People would ask 'are you looking at me or...?'I hated it.I hated myself for looking like that.Once I entered a competition and they put out pictures up.My teacher chose one I hated.My eyes were funny looking.The other kids laughed at me,but you know being me I pretended not to care but deep inside I did." she said,I could see she was trying to hold her tears back.

She was so beautiful.Lazy eye and all.She just didn't see it.This woman just didn't know how beautiful she was.Why was she so blind!

I wipped the tears off her face.She looked at me and smiled.

"Stop it silly!I don't care anymore about what anyone says.Don't pity me."
"I'm not pitying you.I'm just being there for you."

She looked uncomfortable.

"God loves us regardless of our looks.Take David for instance,He was made king instead of his brothers because of his heart."

She sat upright and looked forward.
"Look at us." she said
"What?"
"We're being cry babies."
"No we're just two broken souls seeking for healing."

We remained silent for a while.
"Do you know what your name means?" she asked while smiling.

I almost forgot.
Then I just realised how much power my name has.

"Yeah,God has healed."
"Let me finish it off.God has healed these two broken souls."

She smiled.
She's so smart.
What a woman.

Everybody has their flaws.
You decide if they will make you who you are.
God loves everybody despite their looks,past or where they come from.
Thank you for reading.
🌟❤🌟🌟🌟🌟❤🌟🌟🌟❤🌟
from:nmm_revealed