It's Only Because I Love You

Chapter Eight- If I Could Ask One Thing

Eight- If I could ask one thing

That night I was rather quiet. I didn’t say anything at the dinner table, which was becoming a rather odd routine that we did in our household. 

“Bethany, can you help your brother clean up tonight?” Mom asked me as I put my plate in the sink.

“Yeah,” I said meekly.

“Thanks, I have to run an errand.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be back,” I found this to be a very strange thing since Mom always tells me where she’s going.

“But where are you going?” My voice said with a hint of worry.

“Don’t worry, Honey,” She said and came and hugged me. She grabbed her purse and keys and was out the door.

“What’s up, Jonah?” I said the second Mom shut the door. 

“I don’t know.” He said popping Cheetos in his mouth.

“Really, you just had dinner?” My brother’s a pig. 

“So?” He shrugged.

“What’s going on with Mom and Dad lately?”

“I know as much as you do, Bethany.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” He said as he set the Cheetos down and then walked toward me. “C’mon, let’s get these dishes done.”

As time passed as we did the dishes, all you could hear was the trickling of the water escaping from the faucet. I supposed this would be a good time to purpose my question. I cleared my throat and completely shut off the faucet.

“Hey Jonah?”

“Yeah,” I heard him say, it scarcely escaped his mouth. He knew I knew something was wrong, but I wasn’t going to bring that up now.

“Um,” I pressed my lips together, “you know how you always talk about God?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “why?”

“Well,” I paused, I was really nervous. “I was just thinking about how lonely I’ve been lately, and you say that you’re never lonely because God is always with you.”

“Yeah,” We stood in silence for a couple seconds, just listening to the last drops of water. “It’s true.”

“What if I want that?”

“What if you want what?” I stood quietly for another few seconds.

“What if I want to feel that, feel God?”

“He’s always with you, Bethany, it’s just a matter if you want to accept and believe it.” 

“What if I do accept and believe it?”

“Then you say a prayer accepting Christ into your heart as your Savoir.”

“Woah, now hang on, what does that mean?” This threw me for a loop.  

“That means that you truly accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and that you’ll commit your life to Him.” There was an awkward pause. 

I looked down at the dishes I was washing, I wasn’t exactly sure that I knew what Jonah was telling me. It sounded good, but to give my life to Something that I can’t see seemed a little unsure to me right now.

“Okay.” I paused. “Thank you.”

“So what do you say?”

“About what?”

“Do you want to take that step?” There was another uncomfortable pause.

“I don’t know.”

“No pressure, whenever you’re ready,” he paused, “I’m here.”

“Thank you.” I said quietly. I dried my hands on the dish towel hanging on the handle of the cabinet under the sink and I turned and gave Jonah a hug. We stood in silence, hugging each other, for the longest time since I can remember.