The Perfect Christian by E. N. Joy Page B

baby. Once it’s conceived, it’s real. It’s a person, not some thing—or as you put it—a jellyfish. You should repent right now,” Doreen demanded as tears streamed down her face once again.
    Willie could see how shaken up Doreen was. He didn’t realize how insensitive he was being until that moment. He hadn’t meant to be. Sure, he’d wanted his wife to bear a baby to carry on his name, but in his mind, Doreen had been only a little bit pregnant. It confused him to see her acting so depressed over a baby that had never made it outside her womb—that she’d never bonded and made a connection with. For the life of him, he just couldn’t understand it. He silently wondered if other people felt the same way as he did. All that mattered now, though, was that his wife didn’t feel that way.
    â€œI’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean it like that.” Willie was truly apologetic.
    Doreen sniffled, and then let her body fall flat in the bed again.
    â€œAnd don’t you even worry about packing. I’ll do it all. I’ll get some of the fellas and they wives to come help. You’re right; I think my job moving us away from here is a blessing in disguise. We do need a fresh start. We can pretend like we newlyweds all over again—like we just got married and picking up to start our new life together somewhere else. Don’t that sound good?” Doreen didn’t reply. She was still trying to cool off from Willie’s previous comment about the baby. “No one will know us, and we won’t know nobody. Only God. And speaking of God, heck, I just might get to West Virginia, find me a church I like, and get baptized or something.”
    â€œReally, Willie?” Doreen shot up in the bed once again with the most excitement she’d felt in a long time.
    â€œWell, yeah, you know, like I said, if I find me a church I like.” He shrugged. “Anything is possible.” He slowly sat down on the bed with his back toward Doreen. Good thing his back was to her too. That way she wasn’t able to see the look of regret on his face.
    â€œOh, Willie!” Doreen threw her arms around Willie. “You’ve just made me the happiest woman in Kentucky right now. Soon to be the happiest woman in West Virginia.” Doreen couldn’t describe the emotions that were going through her right now, but she made an attempt to verbalize them to her husband. “If losing that baby meant you getting born in Christ, then maybe it ain’t so bad.” She held Willie in her arms as she continued. “God has a mysterious way of bringing His children to Him so that they may have eternal life. Maybe He used the death of our baby as one of His ways.”
    â€œYeah, maybe,” Willie agreed.
    Doreen moved her body so that it was now sitting next to Willie. “I’ll get to packing. You don’t need to call over none of your friends. I’ll do it all. And I don’t need the help of none of their wives either.” Doreen grabbed Willie by the cheeks and looked him in the eyes. “I don’t ever want another woman doing what I can do myself. You hear me, Willie?”
    Oh, Willie heard her all right—loud and clear.
    Doreen hopped out of the bed. “Go on out to the supermarket and get us some boxes that they’ve thrown out by the Dumpster. While you do that, I’ma cook you up a nice breakfast. Okay?”
    â€œSure,” Willie replied. He stood and went to do as Doreen had suggested.
    â€œWillie, guess what?” Doreen smiled as Willie stopped, turned, and looked at her with questioning eyes, urging her to speak.
    â€œGod answered my prayers just that quick.” She snapped her fingers. “I got my strength back.” She held back tears. “And I got my man back. All of him. Right, Willie?”
    Willie nodded, and then walked away. Doreen watched the back of him until he was no longer