The unexpected

There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. Before men are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him.

                       _Sirach 15:16-17

~~~~~~After 14 years~~~~~~

"Auntie Sunny, are you sure that the young lady will not get mad at us with all these preparations?" A young girl doubly asked a beautiful woman aged 50 plus who was busy decorating the mansion.

"Well, whether she will get mad or not we have to continue. It's her 18th birthday today, we can't just stand here and let the time pass. We have to do something special for her even though she has decided to forget this day." After Ms. Sunny told her those words, they suddenly heard heavy steps coming down from the marble stair. They started to rattle without knowing what to do first, they turned out like cats having caught stealing a fish.

"How dare you to enter my mansion and make a mess!" A cold and heartless lady irritatedly said and started to destroy the decorations.

" Ms. Princess, calm down. We just wanted to surprise you on your 18th birthday. It's been a long time that you've never celebrate it." The girl was trying to explain but she rejected it and in front of them, she threw the cake.

"BIRTHDAY! I've already told you to forget this day. I cursed the day I was born and how I wish hasn't existed. And you!" She turned to Ms. Sunny her ever-faithful nanny. "Get all this useless stuff out here and don't you dare to come back again. I DON'T NEED YOU AND NEVER WILL I!" Her painful words pierced her nanny's heart. In tears, the woman responded to her,

"I've never expected that you would turn out this way. Princess, it's been 14 years. Please don't bury yourself in anger. If your mom is here she will surely be sad to see you like this."

"Well, sad to say the UNEXPECTED happened. The little obedient Princess you once cared for and have known had died a long time ago and she will never come back. Who am I now in front of you is the sole truth. And God must be blamed for all!"

She shouted those words coldly and went back to her darkroom painted all over with black. A room where she used to lock herself in the daytime and when evening comes to a close she goes to bars, clubs, and other earthly places. There she spent her night and money with boys, alcohols, and whatsoever earthly allurements.

Who could imagine that the angelic and innocent little girl before is now living a vicious life? The world didn't only take her innocence away but it also possesses her, taking her joy and peace. It didn't only stop there it even enticed her to live a false life and forced her to wear all sorts of masks to hide her loneliness and fragility. 

Now she is completely misled and has lost her way to God. Like the prodigal son in Sacred Scripture so she is, the prodigal daughter of God. 

When she reached her room tears started to flow down her skinny cheeks as recalled how she rudely treated nanny Sunny. She doesn't want to hurt her but She has no choice. Instead of receiving her care and love, she must reject it simply because she's afraid to love and be loved again. Why? Because of the traumatic experience she had with those persons she loved and who should love her, her parents. They've promised to love her and will always stay at her side but they failed and here she is now, all alone and helpless. A lady who is lost in the dark, confused about one's identity, living every single day with regrets of being born in this world, without direction and sense of purpose. Who is stocked in the past, her horrible nightmare?

      (Throwback) 14 years ago

It was an evening of Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil) a little girl was about to sleep when her mom silently entered her room.

" Sweetie, don't sleep yet, mommy has a very important story to tell you." Mrs. Earth said as she went to her daughter's bed and gave her a warm kiss. The child smiled at her and responded with excitement," Sure Mommy."

" Well, tomorrow all the Christian present all over the globe will be celebrating the most important Feast, the Easter Sunday."

" Easter? Oh, I remember. It's a day where you and nanny Sunny must cook a lot of eggs and paint it. Then we will play egg hunting." She joyfully responded to her mom.

"Yeah, but the Feast is not only to be remembered because of eggs." She grinned to her daughter and continued " Easter Sunday is a very special Feast for its the culmination of the Holy Week and the commemoration of the Lord's Resurrection. Our Lord who suffered died on the cross and rose again for us. It's the most important Christian festival which is celebrated with greatest joy" She patiently explained to her daughter who was in awe.

" Wow, Mommy, What a coincidence. I have a friend who has the same life story as him. His name is Mr. White Man." Then she told her mom about the encounter she had with that mysterious man.

Child: " Mommy, Do you think they're the same person?"

Mother: " I guess so but my child his name is not Mr. White Man but Jesus."

Child: " Jesus?"

Mother: " Yes, He is Jesus the Christ."

As soon as her mom delivered her last word a loud kick of the door was heard. It was Mr. Earth and his eyes were very sharp and what made the tension more fearful was his extremely drunk."

" Y-you two are indeed stubborn!"

He pushed her wife and went to their very scared daughter. He commanded her to kneel, to repeatedly confess in front of them that 'God is dead' and since he was drunk he became very cruel and for the first, he physically hit her daughter.

Her mom rose and embraced her but his husband was so strong. He kicked her then got his daughter and locked her inside the cabinet. He then turned to his wife who was lying on the floor and slapped her a couple of times. Weak she was, she just cried and offer her suffering for the conversion of his husband. Despite all his intolerable treatment towards her never did she judge him but her mercy for him increases each day.

Her only strength at that moment was her faith in God and her daughter.

Morning came, it was Easter Sunday a joyful celebration of life and hope but for the little girl, it was the opposite. She was pitifully sleeping but when her skin touched the soft bed,  she realized that she's not anymore inside the cabinet. Suddenly she heard the scream of her mom. " No! Please pity me and our daughter."

Tears again started to fall on her eyes as she remembered what her daddy has done the last night.

"No Daddy! Please don't hurt Mommy. Lord Jesus, please help my Mommy." beneath her sobs and worries she was able to pray.

Her tears and prayers were interrupted when she overheard a gunshot.

Hearing it the child turned pale.

" Nohhhhh!" She ran towards the door punching it continuously. Luckily it wasn't locked however as she opened the door she could not imagine that the Easter Morn would turn into an Easter mourning for her.

Before her very eyes she saw her lifeless Mommy lying on the floor with her on blood and beside her was the killer, her daddy.

"Mommy! Mommy, wake up." She said trying to wake her up but she wasn't responding nor moving. His dad who was already sober but still in a state of shock embraced her and begging her forgiveness.

" NO! Don't touch me. I HATE YOU. YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!" She angrily said and pushed her dad.

20 minutes later, the policemen came and caught Mr. Earth who until now is inside the prison.

At that moment hatred, anger and fear made their dwellings inside Princess's heart. And what's worst when her mom died her faith in God disappeared and she even believed that God is truly dead because he didn't listen to her plea.