Lily's Return

For his 24th birthday, Jordan has invited his friends to share the celebration with him. The party features Miracle's delectable apple fritter cupcakes, lively decorations, and koi reef playing in the background. As the host, Jordan greets each friend as they step across the threshold, eruptions of joyous exuberance delighting his face upon each new arrival.

And then, she steps through the door. Her hoodie fits loosely around her slender frame. She peeks up with a bashful smile and simply says, “Hi,” with a meek, gentle fondness.

Care and empathy engulf our host as he slides past the others to embrace his long-lost friend. “You came?” Disbelief and joy are intertwined in the simple question.

The two let go of one another and stand there facing each other; one with no words to explain her unexpected presence here, the other with no need for explanation---just a welcoming, ever-open heart.

“It’s good to see you again,” Jordan says. Then he smiles. “I’m so glad you decided to come.”

“Yeah, me too.” She drops her eyes, smiling, then looks up into his gaze. In that simple look, years of depth and meaning are expressed and appreciated; all for the joy of this moment.

“You know, you were always welcome to come back," Jordan says quietly.

“I know,” she answers. “You’re Jordan; of course you’d welcome me back.” Both of them know that this response doesn’t fully explain her months of absence. “So… How have things been going?” she asks, hoping to divert the kind gaze of attention fixed on her.

“We’ve missed you. You always had a special kind of vulnerability that would have really blessed and impacted the group. I wish you’d been around.”

A pit of guilt opens in her stomach as she surveys the fields of reasons and excuses for her absence and finds both the paths and their fruit incredibly wanting in the face of such stark clarity.
“I was scared.” That didn’t even begin to explain the tangle of emotions that choked the words in her throat. “I knew I wasn’t worthy of this place, so I kept you all safe from me. I didn’t want to spoil your time together with all of my… mess.” She wasn’t fully willing to admit that she knew she’d never fit in anyways. She would never be able to enter that fullness of fellowship from the state that she found herself in. And it hurt so much to live on that cusp without ever fully experiencing what she truly longed for.

“I see,” Jordan replies. He smiles weakly, trying to express sympathy while clearly not fully agreeing with the reasonings she’d given voice to.

A moment of silence lingers. Looking down, she wonders… How will he respond? There is, of course, nothing more she can say now. The ball is finally back in his court.

The silence stretches on until she finally looks up to see if he has simply lost interest in talking with her. His piercing gaze sears her soul with the truth of an unfailing love.

“Friend…” Jordan’s voice is uncharacteristically fierce in its tone of kindness. “You are welcome here.” He knows she has no idea how many monsters were slain and battles fought over the truth of that statement. Yet it must be spoken; she must hear the words she's known all along. “You are always welcome here.”

As if to solidify the validity of the proclamation, he steps forward to embrace her once again. This time, the warmth of the clasp that squishes her fuzzy hoodie tight against her skin infuses her being with the strength to stand once more beside this friend as he releases one arm’s grasp from around her to gesture to the crowd of guests assembled in his honor, “My friends! Here stands a precious child of the King. We are delighted by her presence, are we not?”

A burst of enthusiasm and cheers spring forth from the assembled guests. She smiles as she casts her gaze around the room of joyful expressions that grace the familiar faces of some and exemplify in others the delightful anticipation of meeting a new friend. Her thoughts are awed in the presence of them all. “So many faces, so many lives, so many moments I’ve missed… Why did I leave for so long?” she wonders.

“And now, dear friends, this day we shall feast! Join me now in this celebration of life; for life was given to me twenty-four years ago, and this life has been greatly worth living, shared freely with you all. To life!”

"To life!" the guests chant back.

"Yes," she thinks, "here is where life has been hidden all along." Her countenance beams as her soul mirrors the light of life that imbues this gathering. "My God," she prays, "please bless this group through me, as they have blessed me." And with that simple heartsong thrumming in her spirit, she steps forward to join the feast.

Reviews

[Writergurl]

WOW! I like the imagery and detail in your story, it is very well written

[Aneto]

Thank you! One of my only writings based on a hypothetical, wished-for story. rather than an actual event.