Fragments

2

I cannot believe I'm doing this.

The little girl clutching my hand has tears and mucus streaming down her face.

How does one pacify a bereaved child?

Lily is my new daughter.
How ironic!

I vowed a long time ago that I wouldn't have anything to do with family or commitment.

I'm a free bird, free to perch on any tree as I please. And by tree, I mean ladies.

But, I owe Gideon and Roseline big time.  They were my only true friends.

So much for their faith in God.
After university, these two met God in their separate ways and eventually married and gave birth to cute Lily. 

Despite our differences in belief, they allowed me to become her grandfather.

Now, at age six, Lily is an orphan.

When I discovered that she had no direct relatives, I didn't want her to go through the same trauma of foster homes that I endured.

It was automatic that I took her in.
So, I went through the tedious legal procedure to adopt Lily.

It was a spontaneous decision. What was I thinking?

Now, I enter my house with her in tow and switch on the lights.

"Will you read Noah's story for me?" she says as I tuck her.

She calmed down after eating the takeout dinner I had bought on our way home.

"What's that?"

She corks her head.

"Mom and Dad used to read me Bible stories every night."

"Oh, um. Sure. I guess?"

As I read from the newly installed children's Bible app, slowly the words begin to sink in. Strangely, it makes sense to me.

I feel like Noah having to cater for a bunch of animals he had no idea of catering for before.

Perhaps this is God's way of drawing my attention.

~~~

Author's note: I think Lily is a cute child. And this ex-badboy-turned father will have an amazing encounter with God soon.

Thanks for reading this microfiction. I hope it ministered to you.