Loving a Believer

Chapter 13: Fulfill the Vow

S T O R M

While Fara was packing her things, I decided to look for Tyler. I saw him standing in front of the window, watching the rain.

"Tyler," I called to him. He turned to face me as I stood beside him. "I have to tell you something important."

"What is it?"

"How much do you know my cousin, Peachy?" tanong ko sa kaniya.

"She was my classmate in college."

I heaved a sigh and stared at him, examining his face. I was not focusing on him before but now that I examined his face, he really looked like Mark.

"Tomorrow at 6 AM, come with me," I finally told him. I still have a flight tomorrow so we need to be early.

"For what?" he asked with his eyebrows furrowing.

"You'll know tomorrow."

***

"Masaya akong nakabalik kana muli rito sa bahay, Fara," masayang saad ni Manang Linda kay Fara habang sabay-sabay kaming naghahapunan.

Tipid lang na ngiti ang sinukli sa kaniya ni Fara.

If she was silent before, she was more silent this time. I knew Manang Linda noticed her silence because she couldn't stop staring at Fara.

Afterward, we went upstairs so that Fara could get some rest. I saw her observe the room, wandering her eyes around. Then, her eyes locked on our wedding picture hanging on the wall. It had two copies, one in our bedroom and one in the living room.

"Have you missed this place?" I asked her.

She turned her gaze on me. She didn't answer. Instead, she sat on the bed and wore her shoes off before lying down. I just let her be and started to organize her things inside the room. I stopped when I saw a familiar book in the luggage. It was the book that I gave her last Christmas entitled More than a Carpenter.

"Did you read this book?" I asked as I picked up the book and showed the front cover to her.

She stared at it for a moment before she shook her head. "I don't understand it. Can you read that book for me?" she asked.

I smiled and nodded.

***

"Why does this book entitled More than a Carpenter?" Fara asked and glanced at the book in my hand. Both of us were sitting on the bed and leaning against the headboard.

"This book tackles who Jesus Christ really is. We know that Jesus Christ's mother in flesh was Mary; and Mary was married to Joseph, who is a carpenter. He fathered Jesus Christ, so Jesus Christ also became a carpenter like him. And this book argues that Jesus Christ is more than a carpenter. He is the Son of God, the Messiah, and God who made flesh. He is God-Man."

"I see..."

I opened the book. "Let's read this," I said.

She nodded.

"Thirteenth-century philosopher Thomas Aquinas writes, 'There is within every soul a thirst for happiness and meaning...'" The first chapter mentioned the author being an ex-atheist. It had been years since I first read this book, but it still had an impact on me. I was once an atheist and I could relate to him. This book helped me understand Christianity more.