As she placed a large slice of cake in front of him, Mark said carefully, “I enjoyed the story you shared with Heath tonight. When I was a boy, I used to get so caught up thinking about Joseph and his coat of many colors.”
“That’s natural, for children, I think.” Layla lowered herself into a chair next to Mark.
“Yes, but I used to puzzle over why the brothers were so jealous. I always thought their actions were extreme,” Mark said, taking a bite of the cake. He chewed slowly to savor the burst of vanilla.
“I agree,” Layla replied, taking a small nibble of her own cake. “I think that’s why Joseph’s actions at the end of the story are so extraordinary. He can move beyond what they did to him as a boy and forgive their wrongdoings. He brings them comfort and gives them food because it is the right thing to do. It is what God would have wanted him to do.”
“So, the story becomes less about Joseph and his coat and more about the power of forgiveness?” Mark asked, thoughtfully tipping his head.
“I think so,” Layla said, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly, taking another bite of her cake. Mark watched her chew slowly, mesmerized by her easy manner and understanding of complex topics like forgiveness. Mark had to admit that he struggled with forgiving others, but being here, with Layla, he thought he might be able to learn from her. When Layla’s cheeks reddened, Mark realized that he had been staring at her quietly for too long.
To break the silence, he attempted to joke. “As a kid, I just thought it was about the coat.”
Layla smiled warmly at Mark. “The story has many meanings embedded in it, but I don’t think you should get too hung up on the coat. Possessions fade and lose their luster, but relationships and feelings last forever.”
Mark chuckled. “Well said, Layla. I’ll try to remember that moving forward.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The next few days were horrible. Layla’s father was suffering; his shivering had never subsided, and he developed a fever.
“Maybe we should fetch the doctor?” Layla suggested while she, Mark, and Heath were finishing up dinner.
Mark had responded quickly, “Let me go check on him. Then, we’ll make a decision.”
While he was gone, Layla cleared the dishes, shuddering at how her father looked last time she checked in on him and prayed that Mark might see things differently.
Mark returned just as Layla picked up the last fork on the table. “I’ve never really seen anything like this before, but I’ve heard about it plenty.” He took Layla by the hand. “Your father’s body is reacting to being without alcohol. I know the shaking scares you, but his body needs time to get used to being without the whiskey. I don’t think he needs a doctor, but I’ll ask around the farm and see if anyone knows any remedies. Maybe we can mix up something here. I think the best thing to do right now is to keep him comfortable and give him lots of water.”
Layla nodded gratefully, appreciating how Mark was being so kind and comforting. “I’m sorry for all this. I’m just so scared. The shaking is bad, and the fever is frightening, too, but it’s the hallucinations that are the worst.”
“Hallucinations?” Mark’s face contorted with concern. “You didn’t mention that before, and he was sleeping when I went in to check on him just now. Tell me about the hallucinations.”
Layla gulped nervously. “Sometimes, he cries out for my mother. Other times, he begs you not to take his house.”
“Me?” Mark asked, his heavy eyebrows shooting up his forehead.
Layla squeezed Mark’s hand lightly as she explained. “Until I came up with this plan to come to your house and take care of Heath, my father spent two days agonizing over whether he was going to lose his home and his store. He must be reliving those painful memories.”
Mark scratched his chin, taking his time to form a response. “I’m sorry this is happening, Layla.”
“Thank you, Mark,” Layla replied softly, genuinely believing Mark’s sincerity.
“I have to get back to work, but try to enjoy the rest of your afternoon. If I were you, I wouldn’t stray too far from the house. If you and Heath spend a little time in the garden like you normally do, that’s fine, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving your father unattended for long.”
“I agree,” Layla said. “I’m going to get my Bible. Once Father awakens this afternoon, Heath and I will spend some time in his room with him. I’m hoping that hearing God’s word will help ease my father’s soul.”
“I hope you are right in that,” Mark said, worry etched onto his handsome face. “Try to have a good afternoon, Layla. Heath, Daddy wants you to have a good afternoon, too.”
“Dada!” Heath replied, making a mess with what remained of his mashed turnips. Without further ado, Mark went back to work, and Layla retrieved her Bible from her room.
***
Layla couldn’t be sure of the time, but she was startled awake, and her bedroom was still shrouded in darkness. She sat straight up in bed and scanned her room. Just outside her window, she glimpsed the moon, high in the sky. She guessed it must be after midnight, but she couldn’t pinpoint the hour precisely. Not seeing anything out of the norm in her room, she slid out of bed and crept down the hall. She poked her head inside Heath’s room and saw the baby was sleeping soundly.
Still being as silent as possible, she held her hands out in front of her so as not to bump into anything in the dark house; she tiptoed toward her father’s room.
Layla didn’t want to disturb her father if he was sleeping, but when she arrived at the small guest room, the door was wide open. Layla rushed inside.
