Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say. Exodus 4:12
After initial conversations with clues and tips on how the call should go, Julia clenched her fists and tried not to hold her breath just as tightly while Mrs. Black held the phone and it rang. And rang. And Julia waited with bated breath. She’d put the phone on speaker so they could all hear.
When she checked the time reflected on the phone, it was a half hour to midnight and to a new year. Who would be at the station now? Maybe it was better if no one answered. Sure enough, the phone rang and went to voicemail. A voicemail could be safer.
“Hello, this is the voicemail box for…” A scuffle sounded in the background, and her uncle’s voice came on. “Hello? Who is this?”
Her heart leapt in her chest, and she felt like reaching over but knew she’d be unable to speak. Mrs. Black must’ve seen the longing on her face and laid her fingers over her lips. Julia slumped back in her place, and her hair poured over her shoulder. Yes. She knew better.
“I’m not sure if you remember me? From when,” Julia signaled her, and she said, “you’d said you were coming for dinner.”
“What?” Her uncle sounded confused, as he should be.
“You know, ‘Tell them to add my share to the dinner meal.’ You know?” While Mrs. Black shut her eyes, Julia saw her mutter what must be a prayer beneath her breath. She knew her uncle. He wouldn’t give a prank caller a minute. He’d cut the call. “Listen, it’s New Year’s Eve, and—”
Her uncle gasped and cut Mrs. Black off. “Yes! The dinner. Oh, dear God.” She smiled to Mrs. Black, who pumped a fist in the air. He got the first clue. “Um, ahhhh…” He was struggling to find the right words to mask his speech too.
Julia was so nervous and her hands fisted so tightly she was sure she might wound herself again. She raised a finger. Mrs. Black nodded.
“The food was in the fridge.” One of the details she’d given her.
“Yes, oh yes, it was.” Her uncle’s voice broke.
“You can’t cry. Not over dinner,” Mrs. Black warned, so he could keep his emotions in check and not spark anyone’s interest.
He sniffed and inhaled deeply, calming down. “Correct. Um, how do I know when the next meal will be?”
Mrs. Black tapped a finger to the phone in apparent thought. “I wish I could say. It might not be for another few weeks. The ingredients are good though.”
He paused. “Okay. How okay?”
“Not fresh. Just… good.”
He inhaled deeply again. “I’m guessing we can’t go grocery shopping, huh?” He tried to lighten his tone. “At all?”
“At all. No grocery shopping. It could ruin the whole meal. I mean, everything.”
“Got it.” Disappointment threaded his voice. “Is the meal there?”
Julia gave a thumb’s up.
“Yes,” Mrs. Black said.
He whooshed out a rush of air. “Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much. I’m sure we can eat later.”
“That we can do.” Mrs. Black reached over and squeezed Julia’s hand. “How is the preparer of the old dinner? The dinner you missed.”
This time, he paused so long Julia frowned. “Good.”
Mrs. Black’s hand slid away from Julia’s, a little frown creasing her brow. “How good?”
Grateful for the woman’s intuition, Julia sat up straighter, barely keeping from reaching for the phone.
“They are…” He gulped, obviously struggling with his answer. “They are not cooking this New Year’s Eve. You know how it can be.”
Mrs. Black seemed to catch something that Julia didn’t. “Of course. Yes. Well, I’m going to let you talk to him to say happy New Year, and then we can let you go.”
Bishop spoke with him for a few seconds before handing the phone back.
“Will I get invited again to dinner?” her uncle asked.
Mrs. Black glanced over at Julia, then let out a long breath. “It depends. I’ll try if you can go grocery shopping.”
“Great. I’ll keep my phone open.” He waited as though thinking before saying, “This is the best gift you could’ve given me. Hope. Thank you. God bless you.”
“You shouldn’t thank me so profusely. It’s just dinner.” Mrs. Black tried to tone things down.
“Of course. It is. Goodbye.”
“Bye.” A click ended the call, and without words, the three of them encircled in a hug, Julia leaning over, shoulder to shoulder to both.
“Thank you, Mrs. Black. You just made my day. Thank you too, Bishop. You’re like a little brother I never had. You guys are now family.” Mission accomplished. “Thank You, my Lord Jesus.” Her family knew she was alive.
The clock struck another hour. This was a happy new year.