Fiction

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Rick, Mari, Ashlyn, Emmy, and the other scientists stood near the ruins of the part of the science lab that had been destroyed for hours. Although they were very happy to be alive and thankful to God for looking out for everyone in the building, Rick, Mari, and their daughters just couldn't believe what had happened and were totally distraught. Reality sunk in that the part of the building Rick and Mari had worked hard to earn their living in was gone.

"I can't believe it," Rick sighed, hanging his head sadly. "All of our work is...gone. It could take a long time to rebuild our part of the building. Until then, we need a place to work so we can continue to make a living an support our children, but where?"

Ashlyn piped up, "How about everybody work in their houses, Daddy?"

Rick smiled, picked his daughter up, and gave her a big hug. "I'm afraid that's impossible, sweetheart," he said. "Some people only have apartments. It's impossible to turn even our home into one big science lab. Our basement contains some stuff, but we'd need much more room to get more of the type of equipment that was destroyed to make sure we had enough."

Just then Joe, accompanied by a female news reporter with blonde hair and blue eyes, came up to them. "Rick and Mari, this is Bertha Washington. She's with the KJIH News and has a few questions for you. Do you mind answering them for a few moments?"

"Well--" Rick began, but Joe interrupted him. "Great! Thanks. She only has a few questions." Although Joe was very kind and well-meaning, sometimes he could be a little pushy.

Bertha held her microphone in front of Rick's face. "Rick, how does it feel to see all of your inventions completely destroyed, all of your hopes for the science convention tomorrow dashed? I imagine you must be very disappointed and shocked and devastated."

Rick found it strange that she would ask him when all she did was answer her own question, but he answered, "Well, of course I'm upset. The space where I work and the equipment that I use to make my living to support myself and my little girl has been totally destroyed."

"I'm sure you must be angry about that, like you want to just let out a loud scream right now," Bertha said.

"Well, yes, I am angry and feel like letting out a loud scream, but I won't scream now, because my daughter is on my hip, and I might make her go deaf if I screamed so close to her ear. Besides, I am a man who learned to count my blessings, because I have been through worse. My daughter was once in an accident where I wasn't sure she would make it, but the God I used to not believe in but now do healed her. I have people who care about me and a God who provides, so I know He will provide a way for us who have lost our part of the science building to continue to work again."

"Amen. I agree with everything he said," Mari said with a nod.

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