Apples of Gold (complete)

Part 23 - Recovery

Chapter 23 – Recovery©2018 CarolynAnnAish

The king tried to explain to his wife why he hadn't told her about the abduction attempt, saying, "Most of all, I did not want our son to hear of such drama while he's still ill. You're so close to him and so is Allison. Joseph is sensitive... I'm not sure how to explain myself on this, but I have this overwhelming need, above all else, to protect him. We don't want him set back by hearing, or sensing, bad news..." He dropped his head into his hands and said, "He did so much for me, for us, and I just... I, I just can't, do anything, to help him recover... I feel, powerless..."

"Oh my dear one..." the queen began, feeling overwhelmed by his tenderness towards Joseph. "This has never happened to us before; to have claimed our son, to be in such debt to him and to be so very involved... I, I haven't been thinking of anything, or anyone else but him..."

The king shook his head. He braced himself, striving not to weep. He had worked so hard, all his life, never to express his emotions. He had let himself down, but it had been of such relief, like a release from bondage; his stagnant, overflowing lake of tears needing to be released and washed out with fresh, clean waters. He wondered if he wept again, would he ever be able to stop?

"We don't need words, Lemuel. Let us just sit close and comfort each other —and pray inwardly to God. He is the most powerful of all sovereigns and he it is who can bring about healing and recovery, according to his will."

He wrapped his arms around her and she allowed him to draw her closer until he rested his chin on her head which lay close to his chest. Together, they wept. And they prayed.

***

Joseph continued to recover. With the assistance of the widow's tonic, his appetite increased and he began to regain lost weight. Parts of his memory returned. With his ability to memorize, he remembered every name he heard, every face he saw and it was difficult to ascertain how much of his recollection was from information recently given him.

Pippin sat with him, reading aloud from manuscripts and scrolls parts of the Bible he knew Joseph had read. When he asked Joseph about the reading, Joseph could complete the rest of the piece, correctly.

"He hasn't lost his memory," Pippin concluded; "he just has to be prompted to recall it."

Vance and Philip supported Joseph to walk out on the balcony. Lying bare-legged on a chaise-longue, half in the sunlight and his top half in the shade, he sat up and said, "I'd rather get down on the floor, further out, then I will feel the whole sun on all of me." The pair helped him do that. Vance asked, "Would you like a pillow under your head?"

"No thanks. I like being flat."

Looking up at the cloud shapes, he said, "This might well be my favourite place so far. I can't remember. But I know now."

King Lemuel strode out into the fresh air to visit with Joseph. He sat on the edge of the chaise, querying, "Why is my son on the floor?"

"It's further out, Father, and I can look up at the sky. I seem to remember doing this a lot before... perhaps when I was younger..."

Joseph asked, "What do you do, Father? —I mean, for a living? I know that Vance is some kind of dresser, what was it, a valet? —I don't think I knew that word before —and Philip is a counsellor, but what are you?"

"I'm the king, Joseph. The king of Justiceburg."

"Yes, I remember, now," Joseph agreed, then said, "Vance said you wear a crown. He described it to me. I'd like to see you with your crown."

"You will, my son, you will."

"I don't recall anything about my childhood, Father, I'd like you to tell me about it."