In The Arms Of Fate: A Christian Romance

Chapter 2

As I settled around the table, the aroma of the Ackee, Salt fish, fried dumplings and fried plantains accompanied by Mint Tea wafted through the air. How and when my mother finally learnt how to cook a good old fashion Jamaican breakfast, I can't tell, but its sure smells like the good old days. I might be a Torontonian on the outside, but my heart beats to the rhythm of Jamaica. Patois might not flow off my tongue like it does for my mom, but hey, there's always room for improvement, right?

"Wow, mom, this smells amazing!" I gushed; she doesn't always show it, but she sure loves compliments.

"Obviously, I made it," she shot back with a grin, and we both cracked up. After a good laugh, we bowed our heads to give thanks for the meals before us and then dove in eagerly.

Midway through our meal, my mother, 'ever curious and concerned', inquired about Elias. "So, Sere, how are things with Elias going now? I haven't heard from him in a while. Is he going to be here today?"

I sighed, "Things are cool, but he's MIA right now. Apparently, he had some emergency at the hospital for the past few days and I haven't heard from him since."

"Have you tried checking up on him? What if something bad happens?"

"Trust me, Mom, I've tried. He barely picks up when I call, and my messages are left on read. I've visited his house, and he wasn't there because apparently, he has been staying at the hospital. When I do go and try to meet him, he's always preoccupied with surgeries or important meetings."

"Seriously? I get that it's an emergency but that's odd. How many days has this been happening?"

"It's been almost six days."

"Six days?! Does this mean he also hasn't wished you or made any plans to do something special for your birthday? Did you guys have an argument?"

"No, we didn't, and no he hasn't wished me as yet, but he still has quite a few more hours to."

She shakes her head and murmurs, "That man better have extremely important reasons; I would definitely have dealt with him already. "

I tried to reassure her, and perhaps myself as well, by saying, "Mom, I know it might be odd but please understand that he's not just any doctor, he's a neurosurgeon. He definitely would have contacted me already if he wasn't dealing with something really important. You know he'll never leave me hanging." Though I spoke with confidence, his absence was excruciating, and I really wished he was here or that he made an effort to even send a message.

 "Alright, that's understandable, but he should at least make some effort to let you know more of what's going on. Is this what he's going to do when you're mar-?"

Sensing the need to shift the conversation, I interrupted, "You've been up since 5 this morning preparing breakfast so let's finish eating before the rest of our food gets cold." I hoped to divert her attention from my own worries.

"I know you're trying to move away from the topic but whenever he does something like this talk with him, so he doesn't repeat it. Believe it or not your dad and I struggled with effectively communicating with each other and it caused unnecessary problems. If we didn't work things out, I don't know what would have happened to us today."

"Really?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "You and dad barely looked as if you had issues. I can't even tell the last time you guys argued."

My mom sighed, "We just wanted to be good role models for you guys," she adds. "You had to see how a husband and wife should treat each other. Your dad and I had our fights, sure, but we didn't want you to see that. We dealt with it ourselves, and we worked it out."

 "Was it hard?"  I asked, reflecting on my own relationship. My parents have been married for more than thirty years and they still seem happy with each other yet with Elias and I, it's now a struggle.

A wistful smile played on my mother's lips "Of course it was," she admitted. "I almost gave up, but what we had was worth fighting for. We had to start all over again, rebuilding the foundation of our love brick by brick, and it was the best decision I ever made."

Silence enveloped us for a moment as I listened her words. Then, gathering my courage, I continued, "You know, mom, things aren't as cool as I mentioned. It's a little too early to say but Elias seems to be drifting away. He now priorities his job and nothing but his job."

"So, him barely contacting you is not just happening now, is it?"

"This is the third time in three months. I know how important being a surgeon is to him, so I try to not complain by being as supportive and understanding as possible."

"My instincts tell me it's hurting you. Am I right?"

"I'm really trying not to let it get to me, but when so many things we do together are being affected, it's getting harder. Come to think of it, we used to pray together, but lately, he seems to have very little time. We used to go on dates, but those have become less frequent. We used to attend church together, but his demanding work schedule keeps interfering. We used to travel, take leisurely walks, and engage in deep conversations for hours on end, but sadly, we rarely do any of those things together anymore. It's truly draining me."

"Have you chatted with him about this? To give him a heads up on how you're feeling."

Overwhelmed with emotions, I began to cry. "I just feel like he just doesn't have time to anymore."

"Stop crying young lady! That's the problem with you both, you trust each other but you barely communicate. Communication is key. Express your feelings, let him know the impact of his actions, and make him aware that he risks losing you if he continues down this path. Approach him with respect though, for you never know the battles he may be fighting outside of your relationship. When he seeks solace in you, make him feel at home, and have him reciprocate the sentiment as well."

Sniffling I spoke up. "Do you really think just talking to him will make a difference?"

"It depends on you both, but it won't hurt to try. I've seen the beautiful relationship you've had so fight for it if it's worth fighting for."

After mom said those words, I paused for a while and before I knew it, she quickly crossed the table to embrace me. "Thank you, Mom," I whispered. She smiled warmly and replied, "You're welcome, sweetie. Now, go get ready for work. Things will work out if it's meant to."

Thanks a million for Reading.

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