The Samaritan

Chapter 5

The tête-à-tête with the cook still fresh in his thoughts, and the taste of her pie still fresh in his mouth, Tivon had to hide his smile as he entered the room. The somber atmosphere hitting him like a slap in the face. Tivon greeted his father and then stood waiting. His father started to speak, his head slightly bowed, as if he was thinking allowed and not addressing anyone in particular.

"Your behaviour has put us in a difficult situation." Tivon started to defend himself but his father held up his hand, silencing him. He continued, "Do not speak. You had your say yesterday. Today you will just listen. I have conferred with your mother, brother and the midwife and have decided on a course of action. There will be no discussion. You will accept my decision.

Regarding this Gretta woman, is she a woman of ill repute?"
Tivon answered. "If you mean, is she a harlot, definitely not. I will not lie to you father, she is fair of face and has attracted many male visitors before me, but a whore, she is not!"
"Do you love her?" His father inquired.
Tivon answered as if in a daze, clearly, the very thought of her affected him emotionally.
"Deeply father....we were ready to ask your blessing on our betrothal when Zack died. Suddenly everything changed."
"Does she feel the same way about you?"
Tivon's father asked.
Tivon answered, "I am sure of it! Her friends have told me that ever since my brother-in-law marriage to Adah, Gretta has been miserable and has not entertained any male visitors."

His father's countenance softened slightly as he continued. "I have taken into consideration that you jeopardised your own future when you undertook to marry Adah. It was necessary, and the honourable thing to do. No one foresaw that God would close Adah's womb. You have said correctly that the family is in a predicament. If you stay married to Adah there will be no male heir to continue the family name and inherit the property and effects that belong to the family. It is therefore reasonable to grant you your request for a certificate of divorce concerning Adah. I, personally, am fond of Adah, it is a difficult decision to put her away. But infertility is unacceptable. She cannot stay part of this family.

My problem is the speed that your solution demands. I would have liked to have given this matter more thought. But if you are to marry this Gretta woman and especially if she is with child, then we have no choice but to proceed with all haste to prepare for your betrothal. It must not appear that this consummation took place out of wedlock. Circumstances have played well into your hands. Consider yourself lucky. I have done talking with you. I am tired, but I still have to talk to Adah. Please send her to me. Go now."

Adah stood before her father-in-law. With genuine sadness he delivered the news. He ended by saying, "I will not cast you into the street, even though it is within my right to do so. However you cannot stay in the added dwelling that Zack built for you. I am obliged to give it to Tivon and his bride whenever he marries again. There is a small room in our house which you can use until you can arrange other accommodation."
Adah stood tall. She was determined to face this problem with all the strength she could muster. The father's decision was what was to be expected. She was barren, and barren women weren't welcome in most families. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but she was determined not to let the situation get the better of her, so she answered. "I truly don't know what I did to deserve this mishap. One thing you must know, I loved your son with all my heart. I thank you for your offer of accommodation, but this house and especially the added dwelling have so many memories, good and bad, that I cannot stay here. The hour is late so I will stay the night. In the morning I shall take my belongings and leave. My ailing mother stays with my aunt. Her place is not big but I will abide there until I can make other arrangements."

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There was only one spare room in the small dwelling.  There was only one bed in the small room.  Adah's mother occupied the room and the bed.  Adah persuaded her aunt to let herstay in the room with her mother.  At night they shared the bed.  This was not the best arrangement, but it was better than sleeping in the street.  Adah helped around the house where she could. Everyday she would go to the marketplace in search of work. If she could just earn some money, she would be able to afford better accommodation. So far nothing had presented itself.

Adah had been with her aunt for 4 days and was getting her mother settled in for the day, when her aunt poked her head around the room door. "Hey! Spruce yourself up a bit, girlie, you have a visitor....a male visitor."
Adah, her brow wrinkled, thought for a second and then said. "Oh! It's probably the priest."
Her aunt raised her eyebrows and smirked. "No my girlie, definitely not the priest. I have no other suitable place so I told him to wait in the kitchen. Don't keep him waiting!"
The aunt disappeared and Adah, puzzled as to who the male caller could be, started to straighten her skirt and redo the clip in her hair. Just as she was about to exit the room, her aunt came rushing in. Out of breath, she panted, "Here, put on this tunic of mine. It will fit you. The sour smell of your mother's room has penetrated all your clothes, you cannot wear them to entertain someone. Here are some lavender blooms from the garden, crush them and rub the oil through your hair. Hurry now! I will offer your visitor some liquid refreshment while he is waiting."

Adah entered the kitchen. Before she even recognised her caller, he sprang up and enveloped her in a bear hug. He continued the forward behaviour by planting kisses on her cheek and forehead. Releasing her only slightly, he held her at arms length. Shaking his head as if in unbelief, he exclaimed, "Oh my dearest Adah, how I have longed to hold the best cook in all Samaria in such an embrace!"
Then noticing the shocked look on Adah's face and the red colour of embarrassment rising up her neck, he said, "Forgive me my dear lady, I see my enthusiastic greeting has taken you completely by surprise. Come sit."
He led her to the table. They sat on opposite sides of the table but he did not release her hands. He looked at her and smiled. She looked back at him, and finding her voice, said, "Greetings Commander Manoah!
What a surprise, how did you find me?"

Manoah answered.  "I have followed the sad story of your life ever since Zack was killed.  He was like a younger brother to me, even more, he was my friend.  Naturally, you being his wife, and the army being partly to blame for his death, I felt that the least I could do was to look after you and to see that you came to no harm.
Zack had many friends in the army. They would talk about his family, and so it was that news of you would filter through to the camp. When I heard you were no longer living with Zack's family, I wanted to meet with you and see if I could be of some assistance. I had heard that you went to stay with your mother but I didn't know where your mother resided. So I have spent the last few days trying to track you down. When I finally found out where you stayed, I was overjoyed, hence my excitement when I saw you."

Adah was quite surprised that someone had taken so much interest in, what was to, her a most plain and uninteresting life, and remarked. "I cannot think why anyone would go to so much trouble on my behalf. I am truly honoured that you care so much."
Manoah leaned forward and in a more serious tone replied. "Yes I do care, I care to the extent that just thinking about you keeps me awake at night. Being with you, together, as we are now, stirs something in my heart that goes beyond caring.  I have feelings for you dear woman."
Adah found herself in a perplexed state of mind.  She had not heard words like this since Zack had started to court her.  On one hand it was reassuring, on the other....frightening!  Adah fumbled with her answer.  Truthfully she said, "I don't know what to say?"
Manoah didn't want to give Adah time to collect her thoughts, so he soldiered on.  "My dear Adah, I'm not blind.  I can see the conditions that you have to be put up with, here in this house.  Your aunt, bless her generous heart, has given you a roof over your head, but the situation cannot continue much longer.  The house is small, your mother needs constant attention and you are an extra mouth to feed.  I have a solution."
Adah, not expecting the answer she was about to get, stepped into the spider's Web when she asked.  "Something.....anything, you can suggest that would alleviate the problem would be greatly appreciated."
Manoah smiled as he dropped the bomb.  "Come live with me!"
Adah surprised herself, for instead of overreacting and acting totally surprised, which she was, she calmly answered.  "I'm afraid that is not going to happen."
Manoah, seeking an explanation, asked,  "Why not?  Would it be so terrible to sleep in a bed of your own.  To wash your clothes and yourself whenever you please.  To have a pantry full of food so that you could cook whatever you felt like.  A garden to grow vegetables and flowers.  I am at a loss to think of what more I can offer you that would change your mind!"
Adah answered, "You miss the point of my refusal.  What do you think people would say?  Must I be known as the Commander's whore?  I might have been married more than once, but at least I was legally married.  I have never slept with a man out of wedlock, and I don't intend to start now!"
Matters were going in a direction that the commander had not anticipated, but he was determined that the end result was going to be the same.  Thinking quickly how to turn matters around, he answered. "My dear lady forgive me.  In the excitement of just thinking about sharing my life with you, my words came out all wrong.  Let me reiterate my solution.  Please my dearest Adah, would you marry me?"