Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Pride (04/12/04)
TITLE: UNWAVERING HOPE—3RD AND FINAL PART By Faithaline Stanislaus 04/15/04 |
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Elana giggled against his neck. “You like?”
“I like very much.”
Eric suddenly pulled his head back.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, sensing a change in his mood.
“Lana, all the months when I was gone and you didn’t know if I was dead or alive—well—I wouldn’t blame you if you did or anything but—”
“Eric you’re not making much sense.”
“While I was gone, I know you must have been lonely—did you find somebody else?”
“Oh Eric, get that thought out of your head! I never even considered that. I always believed that somehow I would see you again.”
“Whew! That’s a relief!”
“I’m still not sure coming to India was such a good idea though. It seems to me the closer you are to your father, the more danger you’re in.”
“Perhaps you’re right, but like I told you, the missionaries are having an impact and my father is not as opposed to Christianity as he was before.”
“Eric!” said Elana excitedly. “I’m here in India as a missionary!”
“I know,” replied Eric, not understanding her excitement.
“So, maybe I could talk to your father—”
“No Lana!” Eric snapped, “Promise me you’ll stay away from my father. He is a dangerous man. Promise me.”
“All right, I promise to stay away from him.”
“And if you do come into contact with him, you are to play the part of the grieving widow, not the part of a missionary. Do you understand?”
Elana nodded her head numbly.
Elana walked up the now familiar path to the house in which Eric grew up. She let out an alarmed gasp when she walked into the living room, and instead of finding Lajwanti and Ramani, she came upon an elderly gentleman sitting in a chair, with Abhijat standing behind him.
“Ah, you must be Elana,” said the elderly gentleman, “I am Paras, Anish’s father, and I believe you have met my son Abhijat.”
“Sorry if we are not the ones you were expecting,” Abhijat smirked.
“Where are Lajwanti and Ramani?”
“Out on an errand,” replied Abhijat. “Sit down Elana, we have some questions to ask you.”
Elana took a seat opposite Paras.
“The day I met you at the marketplace, you seemed a little agitated. Was something wrong?”
“I—I’d been thinking about Eric,” said Elana truthfully.
“Of course you were my dear,” Paras interjected. “No doubt you felt overwhelmed from being so close to Anish’s family and yet far from Anish himself.” Then he turned to his son and said, “Leave us.”
Turning back to Elana he said, “Please excuse my son. He tends to speak and act before he thinks.” Then leaning toward her he continued. “So this is Elana. Anish wrote home about you.”
Elana suddenly felt a great compassion for this man. Eric said not to preach to him, but how could she hold out the good news?
“I’m here in India to tell people about God’s love, Paras.”
“Do you really think that you can convince me to become a Christian, my dear?”
“Convincing you is the job of the Holy Spirit. My job is to tell you the truth.”
“I will admit that I am fascinated by this Jesus Christ of yours—by his humility—to have come from so high, yet sink so low and die for a bunch of people, most of whom did not care about him—it’s astounding.”
“He died for you too, Paras.”
“Ah, so you say.”
“So the bible says.”
“Anish believed the bible exclusively.”
Elana nodded.
“I’ll share a secret with you, Elana—although Anish was not my eldest son, he was my favorite. He showed so much promise—that is why I made arrangements for him to attend college in America. I can’t tell you what a disappointment it was to me when he decided to become a Christian. I sent him to college to get an education, not to get brainwashed by his peers. In addition he also married a Christian. We were all opposed to that, as I am sure you know.”
“You were angry with him for becoming a Christian,” Elana stated.
“I was.”
“Angry enough to have him killed?”
“What are you talking about?”
“There were two attempts on Eric’s life in America.”
“What?”
“Why pretend, Paras?”
“Elana I assure you that I have no idea what you are talking about.” Said Paras, then turning his face towards the door he shouted, “Abhijat, get in here!”
Abhijat entered almost immediately.
“Did you order men to kill Anish?”
“Yes father.”
“How could you? What were you thinking?”
“I thought that was what you wanted. I only wanted to please you.”
“What I wanted?”
“You said that he was dead to you. You said that you would kill him.”
“I was angry—I said many things—but I never sent out orders to have Anish killed.”
“I am sorry father.”
“That’s not good enough. Get out of my sight!”
“Paras wait,” said Elana, “Eric isn’t dead. He’s in hiding, because he thinks you want him killed.”
“Anish is alive?”
“Yes.”
“Abhijat, I want you to speak to all your henchmen who you gave orders to take my son’s life and tell them that Anish is no longer a target.”
“Yes, father.”
“But first I want you to apologize to Anish’s wife for all the trouble that you have caused her.”
“I am sorry Elana,” said Abhijat, “and please be assured that you were never a target.”
“Does it matter? If you destroyed Eric you would be destroying me.”
“Enough,” said Paras, “Abhijat, you have things to do.”
After Abhijat left, Paras turned to Elana. “I have been too proud to admit that my son just might be on to something. Perhaps you, Anish and I can sit down later and talk some more about this Jesus Christ of yours.”
“Eric and I would love nothing better, Paras.”