• Eternal Realm of Glory Part 4 (1/2)

    From Noahide Videos@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jul 22 02:47:37 2016
    Chapter Twelve

    The following morning, Melanie having slept in the guest room, she rose early, prayed, but only for about 10 minutes, which she had already planned as her routine away from the peacekeepers, and read a chapter of Torah. And then she had gone into the
    kitchen, found something suitable to eat and was sitting in the living room, the radio on a classical station, softly playing, sitting there, waiting.

    Daniel rose around 9, came in, looked at her, and scratched his head. She was back. What had happened to her, though. She was so – so – passive. Just sitting there, hardly even blinking. Like a stone, like a rock. Is this what the place had
    done to her.

    He went into the kitchen, grabbed a can of Coke, and came back and sat down in a large chair, opened his can, and looked at her. She just looked ahead, looked at him from the corner of her eyes briefly, and then continued staring outwards.

    He took a sip, put down the can, and came over to sit next to her.

    ‘Look. I can tell you have changed. I can see that. Its obvious. But I…. I haven’t much. And me and Geri. Well. Well, we have been together for a long time now. A few thousand years after you left she moved in. And we have been an item in
    that sense.’

    ‘I won’t divorce you,’ said Melanie, without looking at him.

    ‘Hold on, sweetheart. Nobody ever said anything about divorce. Geri understood that when she moved in. I was devoted to you. I AM devoted to you. Ok. Ok.’

    ‘Good,’ she said, and said nothing more. Daniel just stared at her, but nothing more was forthcoming. Eventually he shrugged, sipped on his can and stood, looking at her. ‘Ok. You seem not to need me at the moment. I have not been out of this
    house for the last 3,000 years straight, apart from the yards. I have kept my commitment to you, hardly ever leaving. But I need to get out of here. You can come with me or you can stay here, but I am going over to Geri’s and we are going to see a
    movie and get some fries and burgers and do shit until late. Don’t expect me home till 11.

    She said nothing, staring into space.

    Daniel was frustrated. He wanted to say something. He wanted to say he loved her, but couldn’t. Not yet. The time wasn’t right yet. Not yet.

    ‘Well, ok. Seeya.’ And looking at her, waiting on some sort of response which never came, he disappeared out the front door, found his car and hoped it would run, which it did, and disappeared over to his mistress’s home.

    * * * * *

    Melanie had looked through the photographs of them together all that day, looking at how good they looked together, at how much in love they had been. And then, around 11, Daniel came in, a tiny bit intoxicated as she could smell it on his breath, but
    sober enough to talk with. ‘Fuck, Melanie,’ he said. He had obviously forgotten. ‘Look, sweetie. We’ll talk properly in the morning,’ and he stumbled into his bed, and fell down on it, soon snoring away.

    She heard him, and coming in, she put a blanket over him and lay down next to him, searching for sleep. It would just take time, she knew that. It would just take time.

    * * * * *

    The following morning he seemed better. As if he had started adjusting to her. Getting used to her new demeanour.

    ‘So, what was it like? All that time with one group? How did it change you?’

    They were at the breakfast table out on the verandah, with muesli and orange juice. He seemed in a better mood. He seemed good with her.

    ‘Oh, it was life changing. I’m going back you know.’
    ‘Fuck. When?’
    ‘Oh, not for a very long time, ok. Not for a very long time. Perhaps 2 or 3 million years. But it will be a similar sabbatical. For about the same time period. It is in my routine now. I will do it forever.’
    ‘Oh,’ he said. ‘Ok. That’s ok. That’s fine.’
    She nodded. He had accepted it, then.

    He sipped on his orange juice, stared at her, and smiled at her warmly. ‘You know Melanie. You are still the love of my life. When all is said and done, it is still just you babe. It is still just you. I can accept your peacekeeper ways. I have
    gotten used to the idea now, ok. I can accept it.’
    ‘Then we will have peace,’ she said, tilting her orange juice to him, and he smiled.


    Chapter Thirteen

    Geri was sitting on Daniel’s lounge, looking at the TV, while Melanie was away shopping. Suddenly Daniel walked in from the kitchen and went to his bookcase and picked up 3 books. She noticed that one of them was his Tanakh – his Jewish Bible –
    which he was never without, and the other two books were books on Judaism. He took them, walked out the front door, and was back within a few moments, the books not to be seen.

    Out of curiousity she asked him ‘Uh, what did you do with the books?’
    He turned to her. ‘It has been building up. For a long time, Geraldine Halliwell. Perhaps for a number of lifetimes. But what I have seen in Melanie is the end of it. I will NOT touch that Jewish Bible or religion EVER FUCKING AGAIN. It is SHIT.â€

    ‘Well, Amen to that,’ responded Geri. Daniel nodded, went back into the kitchen, leaving a very perplexed looking Geri Halliwell.

    * * * * *

    ‘So you are no longer a Karaite Noahide?’
    ‘Not a Karaite one. No. Just a Noahide. That was true historically.’ ‘So you reject God, then?’ continued Melanie.
    ‘No. Just the Jewish Bible. I have seen what it has done to you, and I have had so long seeing Jewish people for what they are – pride filled ‘Chosen’ people, who really think they are too good for the rest of us, and that we should kiss their
    asses. It is what they have always been like – separatists. I don’t want to fucking know anymore, Mel. I don’t want to fucking know about that shit ever fucking again.’
    ‘Oh,’ she said, and said nothing more.

    * * * * *

    Later that week Melanie had taken her Jewish Bible and also thrown it in the bin. Daniel was her husband, and was faithful to him. If this would put a problem between them, then, in the end, she chose her love. She chose the man who had been faithful
    to her.

    * * * * *

    It was 40 weeks later. Melanie had sent a letter to the ‘Peacekeepers of Jehovah’ saying she wouldn’t be back. That it was over with, and not to bother sending her the yearly annual. She had let go, now. She had moved on.

    And then Daniel, one afternoon, tinkering away at his PC, had written down some dialogue on ‘Universal Faith Assembly’ which had been the name of a religion he had registered a long time ago, but never used. He showed it to Melanie, she nodded, and
    that was it. It was the ‘Book of Universal Faith’, four simple verses, and Melanie agreed that they would follow whatever it brought – for better or for worse. And it read:


    The Book of Universal Faith

    By
    Daniel

    Verse One
    Unity. Many coming together as one, linked by an idea, a belief, a purpose. For we are all one, daughters and sons of Eve and Adam. And the idea? Connections, to those within humanity who best meet our hearts needs, wants and desires. Connections,
    built with trust, respect and patience. Connections, which grow into love and appreciation. For Universal Faith is to appreciate all of God’s children, those who fill this universe, and make connections with them, one by one, to fully satisfy all the
    desires of knowledge that these connections can impart to us.

    Verse Two
    Humanity is like one body, with many parts. All of us are offspring of Adam and Eve, eternally genetically linked. Yet, as science teaches, in the 700 Trillion unique genetic designs within humanity, there are those designs which connect to us most
    appropriately and in the most stimulating of manners. Yet, every design has its purpose in the creators mind, and each design, each and every human gone from us and yet to be has a purpose in our life, bringing those aspects of knowledge, friendship,
    kindness, blessing and love we so truly desire.

    Verse Three
    Eternal connections. That is the purpose of our life. To find and build eternal connections. Friendships which endure not just for a day, a week, a month, a year – but friendships which endure throughout the endless eternity before us. Each of
    these friendships must be valued and treated with respect, for they are eternally our source of joy, love and comfort. And to begin these connections, seek out those whose focus is on the eternal – those whose belief is in eternal life – for such
    people have a focus on Yahweh and the gift of eternal life he has promised them, and thus are well endowed to bless you with the connections to bear the fruit you desire with all your heart. So seek ye the connections with those whose focus is on the
    eternal.

    Verse Four
    And the completion of things is the moral heart. Value those things which speak to your heart, and remember the purpose those others which do not so speak to you have in the hearts and minds of others. For not every gift of knowledge, at first, speaks
    to every unique human, but we find our way slowly and carefully along our eternal destiny, learning, loving, growing and living in the hands of our eternal and great God and Father, slowly appreciating every aspect of the Infinite and its place and
    purpose in the eternity of creation.



    ‘Amen,’ said Melanie, and that was that.


    Chapter Fourteen

    Over the next few years, having posted the information to the web at http://universalfaithassembly.angelfire.com , Daniel started gaining that rarest of commodities – actual living converts. Slowly, gradually, the assembly took form and, having
    started writing a new series of angel books for the assembly called ‘The Chronicles of the Eternal Realm of Glory’, which was set in a new universe, different to his first two sagas, a universe more like their own, Daniel made sure it was known that
    the series was to serve as the spiritual literature for the Universal Faith Assembly. Apart from the very basic laws and teachings from the ‘Rainbow Bible’, which was the first 10 chapter and the first 9 verses of the 11th chapter from the Hebrew
    Bible, which was pertinent to Noahides, and the ‘Book of Universal Faith’ to organise the main idea of the Assembly apart from its religious obligations to God, the ideas and doctrines for members of the Assembly were to be derived from their own
    life walk and, by way of assistance from the founder of the assembly, whatever teachings they found value and merit with from the ‘Chronicle’s’ which were to serve as the spiritual fiction for the assembly.

    Would it be a success long term? Only time would tell.

    * * * * *

    Daniel had concluded that God had done it. In hindsight, it was God’s way of resolving things for Daniel – for coming to a necessary solution before the problem became insurmountable.

    Melanie would likely have been eternally dedicated to the ‘Peacekeepers of Jehovah’ and, inevitably, Daniel’s frustration over this, despite his love for Melanie, would have torn their hearts apart.

    And, in the end, seeing Karaite Judaism, in all its fundamentalism, for what the Peacekeepers followed, taught the heart of a long-term Noahide that, in the end, the Jewish Bible was just for that – Jews. They were suited to it. And, unless you were
    ever going to dig right in and actually convert eternally to this faith, then forget about it. Don’t even read it in the end. Let it go. It was Jewish history – a Jewish family legacy – and while they did indeed promote it to the world, in the
    end it was only for one definite ulterior motive – the proclamation of their own name and glory and the expansion of their family, religion and nation.

    The Kingdom of Noah was NOT the kingdom of Israel. He had even heard Noah himself preach as such at a Noahide conference once. His people in the Noahide community were called NOT to the people of Israel, and the glory of Hashem’s son – they were
    the everyday world of humanity, the real life, regular people, in all their humanness and all their frailties. They were the REAL people, as Noah put it, the salt of the earth, which humanity needed to balance itself against the religious zeal of God’
    s son Israel.

    ‘Sure, God loves religious people,’ Noah had said once. ‘They are trustworthy and do as they are told. But there is an inevitable clash, as we know so well. They put so much emphasis into an idea such as the fulfilling of a Mitzvot or the strict
    observance of a Sabbath day, or dietary regime, that they forget there plain humanity. And I think, in the end, Hashem knows this truth. Yet, for better or worse, they are his priestly nation, and that is how they function. But that is not for us,
    children of Noah. That is not for us.’

    The more Daniel thought on those words, the more truth he gained from them. It was a timeless statement on the reality of life in relation to God’s people Israel. He was a priestly nation – he lived in a world of his own – and while he would
    attempt to minister his values to mankind, in the end Exodus taught that he was specifically a priest to Almighty God and relating to the everyday fold of humanity didn’t always work that easily. Sure, they knew what they were supposed to do in terms
    of moral issues because of Israel’s teaching, but they couldn’t really fellowship with them that easily – torah forbade that. And that is were Noahide faith became the reality of how people in the real world fellowshipped, learned the truths about
    God, and got along well with their fellow mankind. It was the practical realities of Noahide faith which appealed to Daniel and how they, as Noahides, WERE the people, and not separate to them, which made sense in the end. Something which worked
    practically – not airy fairy philosophy.


    Chapter Fifteen

    ‘Life just fucking goes on anyway, Melanie Chisholm. It just fucking goes on anyway.’
    Melanie, dressed in a red skirt and black T-Shirt, looking very attractive, sat at the breakfast table, chewing on toast with vegemite, drinking orange juice, looking at Daniel, who had been up all night on the Net, seemingly emailing everyone.
    ‘And why does it go on, anyway?’ she queried.
    ‘Because, even after you have exhausted all your religious virtues, life still bloody goes on. It still bloody goes on.’
    ‘Unless you kill yourself,’ she said. And then, matter of factly, ‘Or someone kills you.’
    She continued chewing on her toast, staring at him, raised her eyebrows in a ‘wow I’m smart’ motion, and Daniel stared at her. He took a sip of Coke, burped a little, and eyed his beloved.
    ‘Well, perhaps we can make that a rule of the Assembly then. Don’t kill.’
    ‘Oh, so it is rules is it, Lord of Hypocrisy? The very thing we deride blessed Israel for. Rules.’
    ‘Mmm,’ said Daniel, and took a sip of Coke, staring at his adversary. ‘That is more a life principle, than a rule. How shall we put it – maybe an imperative. Live and let live.’
    ‘Imperatives? Is this a new religion?’
    He stared at her, took a sip of Coke, and picked up his Rainbow Bible which was sitting on the table. He turned to chapter nine and read it out. ‘And if a man kills, surely they are to be put to death, for in the image of God was man made.’
    Melanie nodded. ‘So that is the fundamental idea of Rainbow Bible Noahide faith then. Don’t Kill?’
    ‘And don’t eat blood.’
    ‘Right,’ she said. ‘I’ll remember that. Sounds like rules, though, don’t it.’
    ‘The only ones which matter, sweet cheeks.’
    ‘I must tell that to Dracula.’
    And Daniel laughed.

    * * * * *

    ‘Who the hell cares about religion, anyway, Daniel. Real life ignores that stupid stuff. Look, divorce Mel and shag me. You’ll be much happier in the end anyway.’
    Geraldine, her hair up, looking ravishing, smiled at him.

    Daniel sipped on his Coke, chewed on his toast, and said ‘Yeh. Yeh. I should. Really, I should.’

    It was the following morning, at the breakfast table, and Melanie was out the back yard, praying. Suddenly she appeared. ‘Geri? What are you doing here?’
    ‘Oh, speaking wisdom to your husband. I think he really is starting to see the light, you know.’
    ‘Oh, really,’ responded Melanie, sitting down, and pouring some orange juice for herself.

    As she buttered some toast, and put some honey on it, Melanie stared at Geri who sat there, occasionally sipping on some bottled water, looking as radiant as ever.

    ‘Are you trying to steal my husband?’ There, she blurted it out. Daniel looked guilty. Geri took out a nail file, began filing her nails, looked at Melanie and smiled, but said nothing.

    Melanie munched on her toast, staring at the two guilty parties. ‘You won’t get him, you know. Daniel is faithful. AREN’T you Danny Boy?’
    ‘Yes Mel,’ he said obediently.

    Geri continued filing her nails, looking radiant. Daniel did nothing but groan.

    ‘So, what is the plan today, Danny?’ queried Melanie. ‘We have finished our tour of the ‘UFA’ assemblies.’
    ‘Yep,’ responded Daniel. ‘706 heaven wide established fellowships. All doing well. All happy. Yep.’

    ‘Yes,’ said Melanie. ‘OUR project. To keep faith with Jehovah. To show we ARE loyal.’

    ‘Yes,’ said Daniel, and groaned some more.

    Melanie continued munching on her toast.

    ‘I don’t have a religion,’ said Geri, blurting it out like that. Daniel and Melanie looked at her. ‘I used to be Roman Catholic, you know. And mum took me to the Jehovah’s Witnesses somewhat as a youth. But when I got to heaven and found
    out that was wrong, I got completely over it. You don’t need it, you know. It is just a crutch. Just live by the laws of the Civic council. The laws of the land. That is all they insist upon anyway.’

    The Civic council was the judicial body which had drawn up the universal legal code which was mandatory behaviour for all citizens of heaven. It was a basic civil code, but universally enforced, and generally accepted. Even in heaven there were a lot
    of non-religious people.

    ‘Don’t you want to know God?’ queried Melanie.

    Geri just tilted her head, as if that was answer enough, and said nothing more. Eventually she spoke.

    ‘Ok. I pray a few prayers once every few thousand years. Just to say hello, and ask him for a few things if he can find the time. But that is the end of my devotions. He has never bothered me about it.’

    ‘Sounds fine, Geri. That is all you will ever need for an eternal life. And even less if you want. He doesn’t mind. As long as you get along and are happy.’

    Melanie looked at Daniel upon those words. ‘Then why do you push the religious agenda so much?’

    Daniel took a sip of Coke and turned to Melanie. ‘I get a kick out of it a lot of the time. It gives me something to focus on. Oh, and I do like God a lot. He means a lot to me. He speaks my type of spiritual language. But, believe me, I couldn’
    t care less if the next man in the street doesn’t give a shit. That is his business. Sure, I will tell him about it, see if he is interested and all, but if he doesn’t give a shit, then that doesn’t bother me. Live and let live and all.’

    Melanie nodded. ‘So it is just because you derive personal meaning that you pursue it.’

    ‘I love God, as I said,’ responded Daniel. ‘He is a good guy to me.’

    ‘Oh,’ she said, and said nothing more.

    The little group sat there, Daniel occasionally sipping on his Coke, Melanie finishing off her toast, and Geri filing her nails.

    Geri turned to Daniel and said. ‘Good to know. Your attitude on God and others. Good information. Thanks for telling me.’
    ‘Your welcome,’ responded Daniel.

    Melanie looked at Daniel and then Geri and shrugged. ‘Such was life,’ she thought to herself.


    Chapter Sixteen

    ‘I am so fucking jetlagged.’
    ‘Watch your language,’ nudged Melanie, as Daniel almost fell off the airport waiting lounge seat.
    ‘Were the hell are we anyway?’ queried Daniel, with bloodshot eyes.
    ‘You don’t know?’ queried Melanie.
    ‘No fucking idea.’ She nudged him again.
    ‘We are in Brantolford. It is the capital city of Bradondya, a smaller newer nation.’
    ‘Oh,’ he responded, and took out his cube.
    Melanie stared at it. ‘Did you ever get all 6 sides?’
    He sat there, stopped his twiddling, and turned to her. ‘Uh, no actually. I don’t think so. Not from memory. Only when I originally solved the thing a long, long time ago.’
    ‘Right,’ she said. ‘Watch out, though. Get all six sides, and I might disappear over to the Peacekeepers,’ she said, with a grin.
    ‘God forbid,’ he responded, going back to his cube.

    Melanie looked straight ahead. Here she was, 3 more centuries into yet another tour. Yet another tour. Yet another tour. She looked at the clock up on the wall, and looked at her mobile. She then, knowing Melanie C, stood, turned to Daniel, and
    handed him a piece of paper with her mobile number written on it. ‘Make sure you don’t forget it. This time I WILL contact you eventually, ok. But I am off again. It’s NOT the peacekeepers. But I don’t want to say anything more. I’ll let
    you know when you can visit.’

    He looked at her, almost said ‘For fuck’s sake,’ but refrained. And then, she looked around, turned to him, waved and smiled, and she was off. Off on yet another little adventure of Melanie C.

    * * * * *

    It took Geri exactly 3 weeks after the rest of the girls brought a quick end to their tour to come over to Daniel’s, move in, and start shagging him again. This time Daniel was less concerned. A lot less concerned. He just missed Melanie, now. Just
    missed her, and prayed that God would take care of her. But, apart from that, he was alright. He knew Melanie was off an another of her missions in life – something which may even occur yet another time. But, perhaps, this was expected. He hadn’t
    liked the idea of the peacekeepers, and she needed a void to fill with some sort of focus. Daniel was now starting to understand that. He would be far less judgmental next time because of it.

    When Geri said she was pregnant Daniel said ‘Fuck.’ ‘Well, yes,’ responded Geri. ‘We did. That is how it happened.’
    ‘But we have always been careful,’ he objected.
    ‘Not the last time. You didn’t think it mattered anymore. I think you forgot I could theoretically get pregnant. You know, fucking is what causes it Daniel. It is how babies are made.’
    ‘Yes. Yes, I know,’ he said distractedly. The baby was on his mind. ‘What shall we call it?’

    Geri smiled. ‘Well, if it is a girl, how about Geraldine? And for a boy, I like Sebastian. I have always fancied that name.’
    ‘Uh, sure,’ said Daniel. ‘You can choose.’
    ‘Then they are the choices.’
    ‘Okely Dokely,’ he responded, and sighed. A father – again. He would be up late with crying babies, nappies and never get any rest. But, in his heart, he wasn’t disappointed. He loved Geraldine, and the final sealing of a child… Perhaps
    that was the right thing in the end, anyway.


    Chapter Seventeen

    ‘Waahhh.’
    ‘Oh fuck. What do you want?’ said Daniel, staring down at little Geraldine.
    ‘Waahhh.’
    ‘Oh, you want your mother.’
    ‘Not bloody likely,’ Geri yelled out from the next room. ‘Your turn Danny.’
    ‘Waahh.’
    ‘I am sure the kid wants its mother. It needs to feed,’ he yelled out to Geraldine.
    ‘Use the bloody bottle,’ she screamed, the scream of a woman who was not getting enough sleep.
    ‘Yes, the bottle,’ he said, looking around. Suddenly there was a ringing noise, and as Daniel searched around for the bottle, ignoring the noise, hoping it would go away, he simply couldn’t find the bottle anywhere, and the baby continued crying.
    ‘For fuck’s sake,’ he said, and picked up the baby and started patting its bottom, which brought an end to the crying.
    ‘What did you do?’ yelled Geraldine.
    ‘I picked her up. She’s happy now. Now were is that phone?’
    He fished around, found his mobile, answered and said ‘Daly’s baby service. Can I help you?’
    ‘Baby service?’ queried the voice on the other line. ‘What is going on there?’
    ‘Oh fuck. Melanie. Hold on a second, ok.’ He went into the other room, and looked sorely at Geraldine. ‘It’s Melanie. Come on, take the baby.’
    Geraldine put forward her arms and Daniel gave her her daughter, which cried momentarily, but soon shut up.

    Daniel walked into the other room, sat down, breathed slowly, and said, ‘Right. Melanie. Where are you?’
    ‘Not far from you. One city away. I have been all along.’
    ‘Then why didn’t you bloody tell us?’
    ‘I have been busy. But you can come now. Do you have a pen? I’ll give you the address.’
    ‘Uh, wait a minute,’ he said, as he scrounged around for a pen and writing pad. ‘Shoot,’ he said.
    ‘The address is 67 Nottingdale Avenue, Parsington, in Citydale.’ ‘You’re in Citydale, huh. Look, I can be there tomorrow afternoon if you like.’
    ‘That’s up to you. Don’t rush, though. I don’t want you having an accident.’
    ‘Uh, right. Ok. Well, I will come when I can then. Give me a day or so, but I will ring just before I arrive. Let you get tidied up and so on.’
    ‘Ok. I love you Daniel.’
    ‘I love you to, hon.’ she hung up.

    Daniel walked into the bedroom and looked at Geri. ‘Mel. She is in Citydale. She has been all along.’
    Geri nodded, nursing the baby. ‘Are you going to visit her?’
    ‘Yes. It’s been arranged. I’ll go in a few days.’ He stared at the baby and, realizing he would have to bite the bullet eventually anyway, put in. ‘Do you want to come along? With Geraldine?’
    Geri looked at him, looked down at their child, and looked back up. ‘Ok. She will find out eventually anyway.’
    ‘Yes she will,’ agreed Daniel.

    * * * * *

    ‘Her name is Geraldine. Like her mother,’ said Daniel, handing the child to Melanie. Melanie looked at the child, and let it suck on her little finger. She turned to Geri. ‘So you have your prize in the end, anyway.’
    ‘Don’t sue me, ok. You already knew that when you are away, doing whatever it is you do, I hang around Daniel. We get along well. He loves me, you see. Properly. Eternally. He is a committed friend. I don’t mind sharing a kid with a man like
    that.’
    Melanie looked at Geri and looked at Daniel. That much seemed evident.
    She turned to Geraldine. ‘Hewwo little Geri. I am your auntie Mewanie.’ And the baby burped, which made the group laugh.

    Melanie looked up at Geraldine. ‘Ok. When I am away. But ONLY when I am away. He is MY husband after all.’
    ‘Noted,’ said Geraldine, looking down at her child with the loving eyes of a concerned mother.


    Chapter Eighteen

    Geri had taken her daughter to stay in a nearby hotel from were Melanie was living, leaving Daniel and Melanie to catch up.
    ‘So what is this place?’ queried Daniel. ‘It doesn’t look religious? What gives?’
    ‘It has a little bit of a religious basis, sort of. They do use the bible a little bit in encouragements and so on. But no, it isn’t specifically a religious organisation. It is called ‘The House of Broken Hearts’. I am both a worker here,
    and I also get a little therapy, as they sometimes call it, as well.
    ‘The House of Broken Hearts?’ queried Daniel. ‘What do they do?’ ‘Minister to broken hearts. Let people know they are loved. A house of love and healing. A place to recover from broken romances and hurt friendships. From divorces which have failed, or from estranged family. A place were people can come and have
    their broken hearts mended through the loving counselling of concerned peoples. Oh, and I get paid as well. There is a sliding scale for our fees, but we often get very good donations from past recipients who have been very grateful for our services.
    ‘Oh,’ said Daniel. He thought on that for a few moments, that Melanie seemed to again be searching for a meaningful course of action in her life, to connect to people, to help people, and suddenly it only made him love her more. ‘Does it suit you?
    ’ he queried.
    ‘Oh, I think I was made for this work,’ she responded. ‘It is perfect for a person like me. And, as much as I hate to say it, people usually get a buzz out of sporty spice ministering to them. The organisations heads say I have been an untold
    blessing for them.’
    Daniel nodded. Melanie had found purpose – meaning. He knew he should not be jealous, but overjoyed for her. But he also knew, with the look in her eyes, she would be here for some time. So he asked a fundamental question.
    ‘Can you do this back in our home city?’
    She looked at him, and seemingly had an answer. ‘Maybe. They DO have offices there, yes. And I would be perfectly welcome. But I usually work best when I am totally committed to it, without other voices. Without other concerns.’
    ‘So you don’t want me around when you are doing this?’ he asked.
    She looked at him, but the look on here face said it all. She spoke after a while. ‘But you have Geri when I am away, anyway. Remember?’
    He nodded. ‘I guess so, Melanie. I guess so.’
    ‘Yes,’ she agreed.


    Chapter Nineteen

    So there they were, Daniel, Geraldine Senior and Geraldine Junior – a family – of sorts. Of sorts.

    Daniel was in two minds about the whole situation, having a mistress and having a wife, away, in another city, working for a living on her own, away from her man. And also approving of the situation. Could this be right?

    He looked at Torah for a while and, realizing that Abraham indeed had one wife and two concubines, really one latter wife in Keturah after Sarah had passed and also how Jacob had had two wives and two concubines. And of course, how could you ever forget
    Solomon on the issue.

    In the end, the situation was relatively normal enough. Wasn’t it? Wasn’t it? He concluded, though, that the slight degree of discomfort on the issue was simply his indoctrination since his religion of birth – Roman Catholicism – and the
    traditional ways of his parents. In Catholicism a man married one wife. This was the traditional way of his church of upbringing and, psychologically, perhaps some things never changed. Sure, while he was doing it with only tacit approval from Melanie
    it was indeed what he really wanted, but her disapproval or, rather, her lack of complete support, always seemed to justify the situation in a reverse way of thinking. But with her support he had to now question was what he was doing really legitimate?
    It was popular in heaven, certainly, his lifestyle – especially amongst some religious groupings. Did that make it right? Did that make it wrong? He didn’t have an answer yet and, so, in prayer one night, he prayed a short prayer for God to help
    him make sense of it all.

    * * * * *

    ‘Daniel. Life doesn’t always go according to plan. And wouldn’t it be terribly boring if it did?’ ‘What is your point Geraldine?’
    ‘Don’t sweat the situation. It works well enough. I don’t mind, really. I can have another man if I need to. I don’t – at the moment. I am happy with your friendship. We are cool together. We like each other. I gave you that eternity
    ring for a reason, and I meant it. You are the one for me to be there in those special times.’
    ‘And Melanie?’

    [continued in next message]

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