Favor From Above

Chapter 6 ~ Thoughts

[Edited]

Lily hesitated to go back inside once she reached the door so she stayed outside. She went to a nearby bench and sat down.

Her thoughts wandered back to the bible study. Matthew seemed to have been uncomfortable the whole time. Lily could see that he was trying not to stand out. She had given him a bible on their way there. Lily was surprised at how quickly Matthew got to the scriptures. It was like he knew his way around the scriptures. Could it be that he read the bible? Maybe he knew someone who did. Maybe he had studied it as part of a subject or assignment at school. The maybes were too many. Maybe she should just ask him. She decided against it. The man was a roller coaster of emotions at the moment.

Lily wanted to know what was going on in his mind. Sometimes he looked like he was battling within himself. Like he was holding himself back from something. Even when he told her that God did not exist. It was like he was trying to convince himself more than her.

Why was he so adamant about it? Was it because of something that happened in his past? Or maybe something that didn't happen? He was holding on to something and that something was holding him back.

Matthew seemed to have a lot of anger. He shut everyone out. Lily saw it on their way to church. They had briefly talked and Matthew almost smiled but it seemed like he quickly realised what he was doing and stopped himself.

Lily called her mother to tell her that she couldn't make dinner. Her mother was disappointed but she didn't complain much. It's like she knew to not say much to her that night.

Lily decided against asking Zach for a ride. She didn't want to bother him. He hadn't planned to take her home and she didn't want to impose so she decided to walk home. It was a thirty-minute walk. It was getting dark but Lily was sure she would be fine.

She made her way along the dimly lit roads of Riverdale. Fifteen minutes into her walk, someone blocked her way. It was a man, a very tall and muscular one at that.

"Money, phone, and jewelry now." The man said opening his palm for her to place the said items.

Lily's heart hammered against her chest. She had never been mugged before. This man had an intimidating look on his face. Lily looked at him and couldn't help but think that the man needed the love of God.

"Jesus loves you." She choked out.

The man didn't respond. He snatched her bag and ransacked through it. When he found nothing, his intimidating look changed to anger.

"Next time you decide to walk alone in the dark, bring something valuable with you otherwise this will happen."

He punched her in the face. Lily lost her balance and she fell to the ground, twisting her arm in the process. She closed her eyes with pain seething through her. When she opened her eyes the man was gone and her bag was lying on the ground near her. She picked it up and walked towards her house. The pain was increasing with each step so Lily decided to go to the clinic near her apartment. It was still open when she got there. The scan revealed no real damage to her internals. All she got was a bandage and some painkillers.

Lily left the clinic and made the five-minute walk home. She couldn't help but smile to herself. She silently thanked God that she was saved otherwise she would have been angry right then. She would have been angry at Matthew for leaving her and at the man for hurting her but she wasn't. She was happy that she went through another trial and came out with her head lifted high. She got a chance to tell one more person about God. She smiled again at the fact that the man didn't search her pockets. If he did, he would have found her phone.

When she got home, she went straight to bed. She set her alarm and let sleep overtake her.

                        ★★★★★★★

Matthew went straight home from the church. His first stop was his kitchen. He took a few beers from the fridge and went to his bedroom. He opened the first bottle and took gulped down the contents.

Matthew wasn't happy to hear about this God. The same God that his mother had believed in. The same God he had begged to heal his mother. What had happened? Nothing. Nothing had happened because there was no God there. If he was there he would have saved her life.

                              ★★★★★★★

The next morning, Matthew had a headache. The perks of drinking. You would enjoy then but suffer later. Some painkillers, lots of water, and a shower later, he was ready for work.

That was his routine every day. Wake up and go to work. Come back from work, work some more, and sleep. Of course, there was the occasional trip out of the city or out of the country but Matthew wondered if that was all life was meant to be. There had to be more to life than that.

When Matthew walked into the building, everyone went quiet. He waited for the elevator. When it finally came, he pressed seven and it went up. Quinton was waiting for him as soon as he got there.

"Morning boss. Mr. Wilk-" he began to say but Matthew interrupted him.

"Not now. I'll call you to update me later." Matthew said.

"Okay boss," Quinton said.

Matthew walked into his office and settled down. He thought about how everyone quietened down whenever he walked in. He used to think that it was because they respected him but he wasn't so sure anymore. They don't respect you, they respect your money. Or they are scared of what you will do to them the girl had told him. Matthew hated that he was thinking about what she had told him.

"Quinton!" He called.

"Yes boss!" The man answered rushing inside the office.

"Get the small car ready. I'm going out." He ordered.

"But boss you have-" Q protested.

"It wasn't a request. It's an order. Do it now."

"Yes boss." Quinton said leaving the office.

Matthew had bought a smaller inexpensive car that morning. Well, Quinton had done it for him but that didn't matter. He needed something to use when moving around with Lily. The girl had a way of making him do things that he didn't like.

The previous night he had sworn to never see the girl again but here he was making arrangements to go see her. He always felt provoked or angry after seeing her but he went back regardless. It's like something was pulling him to her.

                         ★★★★★★★

The scripture reference for this chapter:

Proverbs 22:1

  A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. 

Extra verse:

Proverbs 22:4

 Humility is the fear of the Lord;
its wages are riches and honor and life.  

19/06/2017