(This is the second of three scenes)
SCENE TWO
The moon had reached its peak and was well into its descent. Joseph, still wide awake, lay there, staring at the walls, talking to himself.
“If I break off the engagement, and make it known the child isn’t mine, they could kill Mary. Lord knows, though, I can’t go through with it. I couldn’t raise a child knowing he wasn’t mine. I couldn’t live a lie. It wouldn’t be fair to me, Mary, or the child.”
Joseph took a deep breath. His mind drifted back to the day he first fell in love with Mary. She was walking with her family to the marketplace, a flask of water balanced on her shoulder. Joseph snuck up behind her like a bandit and shouted, “GIVE ME YOUR GOODS!“
The flask of water flew off her shoulders, drenching her father (who was not amused). Mary couldn’t contain her laughter as Joseph scurried behind a bush to avoid her father’s wrath.
From this safe hiding place, Joseph looked back. He noticed for the first time how beautiful Mary was— her face glowing like an angel, her eyes lit up like stars. It was as if heaven had come to earth. He vowed to himself that one day she would be his wife.
Now this! Joseph shook the memories from his mind and said out loud, “I’ll dismiss her quietly. No one will have to know.”
Then he tossed and turned until the early morning hours, finally drifting off to sleep.
