Anticipation

She sat silently, her thoughts meandering about, trying to find their way back to reason. It wasn't that things weren't making sense, as that they hadn't quite grounded themselves in reality yet. There was much yet to dechiper through.

Surely she was wrong in her interpretation of the event. One's perception is so limited after all. And yet who was to say what rightly occurred, if everyone's perspective is subjectively skewed? Still the words replayed themselves in her mind. "I only want what's best for you." Best? By who's definition? How could this be best for her? She shook her head in dismay as the doubts began their taunting plague upon her mind.

A voice interrupted her perplexed state of reflection. "Amelia! Amelia! At last! I've found you!" It called in increasing volume.

She rose from her comfortable position against the trunk of the oak tree. "Yes. I am here."

Her sister's soft and rosy complexion, partnered with a spirited voice greeted her. "Did you hear the news, dear sister? He's come at last! He's returned!"

Amelia could say nothing at first. The pronoun, "He", alone filled her soul with trembling anticipation. Could it be? She thought. Was it for real? Had he really returned for good then?

She voiced her concern aloud.

"Oh, Amelia." Her sister was, though hurried, compassionate in this moment. "How could you ever really doubt?"

Together the two sisters tumbled down the hillside beneath the starry skies in eagerness. The waning moon shone its white light upon the fields as they swiftly parted the sea of grass. The nightlife around them seemed enlivened by their steps - the crickets sang louder, the wind blew with more gust, even the moonlight seemed brightened to their eyes as they tripped over their feet, bounding along the pathless meadow.

Very soon they were short of breath, which of course limited any conversation to be had between them in their jaunt. As they approached their destination, a stillness had befallen them, but only as stifled anticipation. They knew what was to come.

A small wood cottage with a twist of smoke arising from its chimney welcomed their eager eyes. Up the steps they bounded, and entered the house where their entire family had gathered, awaiting their arrival.

"Sorry to be long, mother. Amelia is hard to find these days."

Their mother gave little heed to the apology, in a rush to have Amelia seated as the honored guest began to take his place in the gathering. "Sit, sit, girls, please. He is waiting!" The last words were spoken with hushed urgency.

But it was no matter. He was not an impatient man. There was simply little he had to be impatient about.

In a moment, the room was silenced and they all looked on, waiting for his words to fill the air. In the large chair sat Amelia's father, weathered face overshadowed by graying hair and wrinkled brow. His eyes, though darkened by age, could still see glimpses of color and shape, enough to manage the fieldwork - at least with the aid of his son and the fieldworkers. To his left, his wife of 25 years, moved her hands up and down her lap in a vain attempt to remove the flour and salt they were covered with from the baking that had been interrupted. She was a hard woman, tainted by much labor and toil through out the long years on the farm. But the hardness was more an external shell than a representation of her heart, for what consistently poured forth from within was wisdom, compassion, grace and love to all around her. She was a woman of much mercy.

And there beside her sat the youngest, a child of the age of five, stringy blond hair in whisps about her pale, yet startling blue eyes that were widened in the wonder which enveloped her soul.

And with a surge of renewed affection, Amelia looked on to her brother, standing above the child, with a proud, confident air, gowned in the honorable military attire, his hat removed and being held to his side. Oh yes, he, of all them, was a worthy man, generous of time, money and physical strength to all who should call on his aid. He had ranked highly during his time in the service, yet wore his medals with humility.

And of course, there was her sister. Amelia smiled. This woman whom she'd fought and cried with for so many years, who'd bore her burdens, guilts, fears, misgivings, unfulfilled wishes and dreams. A kindred spirit and deepest of friends she had been to Amelia over these years, and now married, and with child? Amelia was proud of her sister and all that she had become through the trials they had endured together.

At long last, Amelia's eyes turned to behold the man of whom they'd all been waiting for. As her gaze shifted, she felt her worries and concerns from only moments ago fade away into nothingness. Peace filled her soul. This was a man of stature and strength - but the strength emanated from within. There was nothing about his physical appearance that necessarily attracted her to him and yet his eyes...

He caught her stare and their eyes met for only a split moment. There was something. Amelia couldn't quite identify it and for only a moment caught wind of it before it escaped her perception. It stirred within her a deep yearning for more - more of this man - whatever he had to offer of himself, she would eagerly receive within a moment! Yet even as she hungered, before the moment had even past, she knew that she could not have, could not keep to herself alone, this ravenous joy she felt when she beheld him. It was not hers to own.

When, at long last, he spoke, it was if no one in the room had need to respond. For he somehow already knew what was in their hearts, even before they realized it themselves.

And then, the silence was broken, the anticipation made complete as his words filled the room with fulfillment of promises made long ago. "My dear, faithful, beloved ones. Rejoice! For, after so long a wait, I have come. Come to take you home."