“ There's a purpose for your pain. ” 
****
  — Mira —
I've never gotten so emotional by a novel before, until I stumbled upon Redeeming Love by Franchine Rivers. 
   I encountered it when I was just 13. And from then I've always dreamt of a charming prince who will love me unconditionally. 
I knew better as I grew up. 
  Those early days with Joseph were super memorable. At first, I only saw him as a friend, but slowly the innocent feeling became infatuation and before I knew it, love sprang up. 
Though, Joseph's love could never match up to Michael Hosea’ but it's enough. 
 Why? Cuz I realized that love like Micheal Hosea’ can only be found at the feet of the almighty. 
   Today being the tenth day of my marriage to Joseph, I opened another book by Franchine Rivers. 
It has been on my shelf for more than a month now, but I never got drawn to it until now. 
The first line of the first chapter prepared me for what I was about reading,  “ It was late January when the unthinkable happened. ” 
   What unthinkable thing could happen to a child of the most high?
Almost immediately, the tragedy that befell Job came to mind. He was righteous, yet he suffered for months on end, yet he never for once cursed God. 
     As I read on, I figured out why it was tagged unthinkable. 
Dynah the female lead, a child of God who had loved God since her early childhood was stripped of her dignity by a rapist. 
“ God where are you? ” Her groans hit a string at Mira's heart. 
Though, she had never experienced rape, but she had always been scared of it. 
Losing her virginity to her husband was one thing, not to talk of losing it to an unknown person. 
And that's what Dynah experienced.
She was about to turn to the next page when she felt Joseph's presence hovering over her. 
   He took the book from her and pulled her in for a long kiss, before she could make a move. 
    She laid breathless on his chest after it ended.  “ I'm hoping you aren't reading something that will make you emotional, Babe? ” His words made her burn with guilt, knowing she was doing just that. 
  Receiving no response from her, he picked up the book and checked the cover.  “ Atonement child by Franchine Rivers. ” His tone is unfathomable. 
    “ What is it about? ” He turned to her.  
   Mira pursed her lips before replying. “ A righteous girl who got defiled by an unknown man, just months before her wedding. ” 
“ Oh… ” He dropped the book before cupping her face gently.  “  Are you sure you want to read this? ” The care and tenderness in his eyes filled her heart with warmth. 
“ Yeah. ” She nodded. “ I'll be fine, Jose. ” She wrapped her arms around him.  “ If you say so. ” He receded. 
   “ Here. Have some biscuits. ” he handed her a tray of freshly homemade biscuits. 
“ Takes yummy. ” Mira moaned, taking a bite. 
“ I knew you'd like it. ” He patted her head before handing her a glass of milk. 
He watched her take a sip.  “ Tastes divine. ”  Her eyes shone like Stars. 
   He nodded before saying,  “ I'll be in the study. Call me if you need anything. ”  
“ Um. ” Mira nodded, watching him leave. 
“ And. ” He paused his steps on his way out.  “ I love you. ” He reminded her tenderly. 
“ I love you too. ”  she said. 
She turned the page after he left and kept reading.
    As I consumed the contents of the book, I felt an unfamiliar emotion overshadow me, Pain, anguish, loss, heartache. 
Slowly, I realized that I was actually feeling Dynah’ pain. 
    And it made me very emotional. 
Disregarding Joseph's advice, I sobbed. 
Not just for Dynah because I could very well relate to her at some point.
Lost, broken, alone. 
I'd once felt that when my parents died. They were the only ones I had and knew and when they left the world felt like a blur. 
   Many times, I wished I was with them when it happened. 
I wished I had just died in my mother's rather than be alive, alone and filled with grief. 
Even at a young age, the pain was excruciating and unexplainable. 
   Oftentimes, I wished I could scream it all out, to which I did.
But it didn't change anything, nothing at all. 
  It said that time heals even the deepest wounds, maybe it did. but right now, I could feel all those painful memories coming back to haunt me.
They were dark and frightening. I didn't want them to consume me, but I wasn't strong enough to fight it, so I slowly succumbed to it. 
And… I found myself there again, in that deep hole of depression and despair. 
I was back again to the hole I struggled to pull myself out of.
I didn't know I had begun hyperventilating until I felt myself wrapped up in a warm embrace.  “ It's going to be okay, Babe. ” His voice was like the sweetest music to my heart and what came with it was a calming effect which I couldn't explain. 
   I drank in his scent, holding him tightly, as if my life depended on it. 
Minutes passed by and I remained in his arms unmoving and quiet, with my eyes shut. 
   He'd probably thought I had fallen asleep, as I felt him lay on the bed along with me, but not before putting the book away carefully. 
   We stayed in that position in silence, as he patted my hair like he always did.  
Despite knowing how curious he must be, I didn't say anything. I kept my silence. 
    I didn't know when I fell asleep until I felt him tapping me gently, pulling me to the real world.  “ Hey, Babe. ” He whispered, as soon as my eyes met his.  “ Hi. ” A yawn went out of my mouth in the process. 
“ Slept well? ” 
“ Um. ” 
“ Feeling better? ” 
“ Um. ” I nodded again. 
He stood up from the bed and looked down at me,  “ Let's go have something to eat. ” He reached out his hand to me, I placed my palms in his and allowed him to pull me up. 
I stood up on my feet and was about to take a step,  “ Wow. ” a surprised gasp left my mouth, when he swept me off in his arms. 
    “ Let me do the walking, Babe. ” He left a peck on my cheeks as he walked out of the room, down the stairway and down the stairs, into the dining table. 
   The smell of hot coffee filled the air and it immediately improved my mood.  Joseph set me down on my feet, on the tiled floor, before pulling out a chair for me. 
   “ Gracias. ” I said, taking a seat. 
“ Taking Spanish lessons, uh? ” 
“ Yeah. ” I didn't mean to answer in a monotone, I wasn't just in the mood to talk and I'm thankful he understood that. 
     Joseph served the dish of fried plantains, scrambled eggs and toasted fish with the cups of coffee of course. 
“ Tastes yummy. ” she said, taking a bite. 
“ Yeah… ” He replied absent mindedly, deep in thought. 
    “ I'll start taking you on some cooking lessons from tomorrow onwards, agreed? ” 
“ Okay. ” She receded, accepting the inevitable. Cooking was one of her major duties as a wife and it would be unfair, if she continually tried to avoid it. 
   “ It's for the best. ” He said, ruefully to which she nodded. 
….
A/N : What do you think, guys?