Historical Setting, 629 C.E. Creek House in the Vosges Mts.
Ana is just enjoying the grandbaby in her arms –laughing, giggling, playing baby games. Ana doesn’t know the nature of this little gift from Layla. When she sees me bringing a birdbox in she thanks Layla ever so profusely for a bird. Ana has always loved birds and her pigeons are precious to her, not just because they bring news of family, but because they are birds. She loves her geese, and the owls, and the cuckoo that nests near the healing garden. She just loves the birds.
Layla turns to me, “Take it back out Papa, I’ll bring something better.”
She pushes me back outside with the cage. We talk.
I suggest, “Let’s just let her see it. A kitten has its own gift for making itself likeable.”
“But Hannah told me right off, Momma won’t like this witch’s cat.”
Hannah chimes in, “I didn’t say she wouldn’t like a kitten. I said she didn’t believe in that notion of putting sins and evils onto a critter.”
“Maybe she just never heard of that Hannah, maybe you don’t know everything!”
“Just think about the whole big idea of it, Layla, like Momma does. Surely, she wouldn’t think a gracious God would make a critter just to bear the sins and evils for someone else.”
The sisters are bickering. I know better than to offer an opinion.
“So, Hannah?” argues Layla. “You know nothing at all of marriage.”
“Marriage? This is nothing about marriage is it, Papa?”
Layla is set on firing up these sister’s other ongoing argument.
I intervene. “Layla, tomorrow, after you’ve had your visit, I will be the one to drive you home. So, use this time here to make amends with your sister and you should give your mother this beautiful gift you have for her.”
I take the kitten from the cage and hand it to Layla. It is a loveable little critter. No birdcage is needed.
We all go back into the house and Hannah takes the baby from Ana, and Ana takes the tiny kitten from Layla.
“Oh! Layla! It’s so tiny and so dear! Is this what you had in that pigeon cage? It is so sweet!”
“Did you want a bird, Momma?”
“Layla, it is darling. I’ve never had a kitten before.”
“I should have just brought you flowers.”
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 
Hi Julie, Have you stopped writing Lazarus Inc? I have been enjoying it. You have done a gre
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Thanks Mary, I haven’t stopped — it goes on and on, hopefully improving with practice.
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