Hadassah's Sacrifice

CHAPTER 10

"Hadassah." It was the voice of Adah calling her out of her truce. With a jerk on her chair, Hadassah replied half awake, half asleep, "Yes Mama."

"Mama?" Adah's eyes questioned with a raise of her brows. Hadassah was fully awake now. "What is going on, Child?" Adah probed with concern in her voice, her hands around Hadassah's shoulders.

"Forgive me, Adah." Hadassah apologised frantically, her expression forlorn. It wasn't everyday one saw her like this and Adah knew immediately that something was wrong with the young lady. Hadassah was not one to be morose without cause. Whatever was wrong, it was serious. "You were teaching me how to weave and I just slept off." She robbed her eyes, trying to regain consciousness.

With a cup of water in her hand, Adah dismissed her apology and handed her the cup. "Just drink first, talk later." Hadassah was filled with gratitude. She thought Adah will be angry with her. But she didn't mean to sleep off, it had just happened.

"You didn't tell me you were thirsty," Adah said with a small laugh. Hadassah had drunk empty the cup of water and she appeared more lively.

"I didn't even know I was thirsty," Hadassah replied as she laughed for the first time that day.

Nodding her head, Adah signals to her to talk. "And I want to hear everything, Hadassah." She said more seriously. She knew Hadassah might want to give her the half truth. The girl didn't like to feel like a burden to anyone even to Adah who was like a second mother to her.

"I was thinking about my Mama. I miss her so much." A small tear appeared on her face. Her Uncle's yelling might have affected her more than he knew. Adah looked into her eyes, and swiftly, her motherly instinct came into play. She hugged Hadassah.

"It's alright, Child. Everything will be fine," she said calmly.

Finding her voice, Hadassah steeled herself from crying, but the tears didn't cease cascading down her face. "I shouldn't have slept while you taught me, Adah. I'm so sorry." Still in Adah's embrace, she cried harder now. "I just miss my parents. That's all I think about most days," she said in between sobs.

"Shush Hadassah. I understand." And truly, Adah understood her. It was hard having to go through life without her parents, living with an Uncle that was tough on her and whose job made him hardly available for her.

"Thank you," Hadassah replied as she moved away from Adah's warm embrace. "Let's continue with our lessons," she said with a smile.

"Oh no, we wouldn't," Adah replied as she pat her hand. "You can return home and rest for the day." Hadassah was like a daughter to her and if needed a mother figure, Adah was going to be available for her. The child was a good girl and with Gad being ever busy, she could be awfully lonely.

Adah knew what Hadassah suffered because many years ago, she had been just like her.

               
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Lying on her bed, all Hadassah wanted to do was think of how lively her life used to be before everything changed, the time when everything was normal and the Lord was with her people.

               
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"Papa is back!" Little Hadassah screamed as she jumped on her father. Aharon picks her up and throws her so high that she giggles in glee.

"Welcome," Miriam says as she walked to meet her husband. Aharon drops Hadassah and places a lingering kiss on his wife's lips.

"Hmm... nice," Miriam replied as she laughed. Arahon added colour to hers and Hadassah's lives. "So what took you so long?" She asked her husband.

"I had to wash the nets with the others," he replied. Then added, "I also remembered that I had to visit the Prophet Isaiah, I had questions that needed answers." He cups her face in his hands and looks into her beautiful hazel eyes. "You're beautiful, Miriam." He tells her. "I'm a blessed man." He offers her his one sided crooked smile, the way she liked it. Miriam always said his smile made her turn pink.

"Stop it now, Aharon," she playfully beats his strong chest. "You know what that smile does to me." She blushed shyly.

"You shouldn't bother about that anymore. After all, I'm your husband. You can blush all you want." Puffing out his chest, he teased her. Placing a quick kiss on his lips, she asked with a suppressed giggle, "Were your questions answered?"

"Mama can I play dolls outside? I won't stay out late. I promise." Hadassah's voice brought them out of their couple's world.

"Yes, little one, you can. I will call you inside when it's time to bathe." Miriam watched as her daughter leaped playfully outside. Arahon smiled as she went. He loved her so much.

"Yes, they were." Turning his attention back to his wife, he answered her question.

"I'm glad." Miraiam replied, moving him gently to the room they shared together. "I prepared your bathe." He loved how thoughtful she was of him and Hadassah. Miriam was the perfect one for him. Humming quietly, Aharaon thought of his wife as he soaked in the bath.

                 
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Benjamin scanned the room for the tenth time that evening. He couldn't find Hadassah. She never missed Bible Study. Was she fine? Was she in danger? His mind kept wondering.

"This is how we must live our lives in this time..." Emmanuel's voice was saying. Benjamin hasn't been paying attention, not when the one face he looked forward to seeing was missing.

"So beloved, let us be strengthened and encouraged in the Lord," Emmanuel said as he closed the meeting.

No sooner has he finished helping out in cleaning the room with a few others who had stayed behind, Benjamin was on his way. He was going to find out why Hadassah didn't attend Bible Study.

               
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Not sure if he was on the right path, Benjamin moved ahead. He thought he still clearly remembered the path that himself and Hadassah followed the evening he walked her home. It had to be this path.

The Commoners side of the city was not as affluent as the part the Babylonians occupied. Theirs was much smaller and Benjamin found Hadassah's house in no time. He knew it was her house because he asked from the neighbors.

He was uncertain if she would be happy to see him, but he was here now, he had to knock and be ready for whatever he received.

"Help me, Lord." He whispered a quick prayer.

  
                    Author's Note
Thank you for getting this far with this story. I appreciate all your supports. Remember to, FOLLOW... COMMENT... and VOTE...
Stay safe and be safe.
The Lord will keep us in His secret place.

All my love,
Jolade.