Chapter 28

It was so good to see everybody again. And Elam and Kal — what a surprise.” Noah leaned close to his wife. The flickering light from the oil lamp picked up the sparkle of her eyes as the two sat on their favorite overlook by the sea. Though it was too dark to enjoy the view of the water other than the occasional crest of a small wave, his ears stayed attuned to the rhythmic splashing below them. Near the docks to their right, workers loaded and unloaded crates from large seagoing ships his company built. The lights from the city and the harbor dimmed Noah’s view of the evening sky. “It’s even better to see you.”

Emzara snuggled in close and breathed out a happy sigh. “I’ve missed you. So much has happened while you were away.” She put her hand to her midsection and smiled as she slowly shook her head.

Noah wished he knew a way to prolong the evening and simply take in her nearness.

“And your experience is beyond anything we’ve imagined.” She paused and her voice turned somber. “But your news about the flood made it more difficult to enjoy the time with our friends. Did the Creator say anything else about it?”

“He spoke of how wicked this world had become and that He was grieved that He made people. Can you imagine the Most High being grieved?”

“Why shouldn’t He be?” Emzara shrugged. “We’re saddened by it too.”

“I don’t know. I suppose I imagined that He wouldn’t have emotions like we do.” Noah stared at one of the smaller boats in the harbor, where two men busily pulled their fishing net out of the water. Now commonplace, fishing was once unimaginable. Noah dropped his gaze as he recalled the first time he saw someone eating fish. King Lamech’s impudence had deeply troubled him at the time, but over the centuries, Noah had grown accustomed to the idea and it rarely bothered him anymore. Suddenly that old revulsion rose to the surface. “But you’re right. Man has rejected the Creator in every conceivable way. Why shouldn’t He grieve? And why shouldn’t He send a flood?”

Emzara started. “How can you say that?” She looked up into his eyes. “Our friends follow the Creator. Why should they be killed?”

Noah stroked her hair above her ear. “I asked Him what would happen to all the people.” He thought back to his meeting with his Maker. “Actually, I didn’t even ask the question. I simply thought it, and He knew my mind.”

Emzara’s eyes widened. “What happened?”

“He asked me . . .” Noah gulped, “He asked, ‘Do you believe that I will do what is right?’ ”

“What did you say?”

“What could I say? How could I begin to disagree with the One who knows my thoughts? The One who made me? Of course, I believe that He will do what’s right.”

In the dim light, she turned her large brown eyes toward him and the softened, higher pitch of her voice foreshadowed her tears.

“So Adira, Tubal-Cain, Kal, Elam . . . Rayneh. . . . Can they come with us or will they just . . . be gone?” She clung to him.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen.” He groaned. “The promise was for us, our sons, and their wives.” Ever since receiving the Most High’s message, the weight of it had settled on his shoulders like a massive wooden ship beam. His mind fumbled with the knowledge of what the future held and all the details yet unknown, although sharing it with Emzara lightened the burden a little.

“Our lives have been marked by seeing loved ones die. And now you say there’s much more to come? How can I bear this?”

He hugged her to himself. “I don’t know.” Tears rolled down his face and his chest tightened. “It’s not easy.” She sobbed in his arms, and all the emotion that he had kept locked inside for weeks finally broke free.

After some time, she took in a shaky breath, and he peered into her face, wiping her tanned cheeks with his thumbs.

“Em, God told me not to be afraid and that He loves me.” Noah looked up and briefly closed his eyes. “He also confirmed that what we heard about my grandfather’s father is true.”

Emzara returned a thankful half-smile and rubbed the wet trails on his face with her fingertips. “That’s amazing, but. . . .”

“Here’s what I have to believe. We know from what happened with Greatfather Adam that even though the Creator warns of death, He’s merciful in the outcome. We don’t know what that will look like for this situation. Maybe He’ll allow our friends to join us, but even if He doesn’t, I know we can trust Him. We have to.”

She nodded slowly.

“We should take comfort that the flood must be many years away.”

“So what do we do until then?” She put her hand in his and his pulse quickened.

“We start by enjoying the time we have with the people we love, and we think about how we’ll complete the task that lies ahead.”

“We’re not alone in this you know.”

Noah touched her midsection and smiled. “I know.” He stood swiftly and brushed off his garment. “Do we still have that young bleater?”

She rose, tilting her head as her eyebrows came together in the middle. “Yes.”

“I know it’s late, but let’s consecrate our actions before the Most High through a sacrifice and seek His direction.”

Emzara clasped her hands together and nodded.