SAPPHIRE X

Click here to read Sapphire IX

Chris walked back to his office in high spirit, whistling as he went. He couldn’t help but think back to the woman he had met at the Chapel and said few words of prayer for her.

He walked into the Laboratory as the Head of the Department was preparing to go out with a paper in hand. “Chris, you came at the right time. Kindly get this result to Dr James. He has been on lookout for it.”

“Alright Sir.” Chris collected the paper and turned back.

Few minutes later, he was knocking on the door to Dr James’ office. The man himself opened the door as he was also about to step out.

“Good Evening Sir, I have a result from our HOD.” Chris said handing the paper over.

“Thank you.” Dr James collected it and immediately opened it.

Chris couldn’t help but stretch his neck in a bid to see the conclusions on the paper. He wondered what the test could be about, that His Boss had monitored it personally.

His eyes widened as he caught the name ‘Megan’ as the mother’s name of the patient and wondered if the woman he had just recently met hadn’t told him her name was Megan.

“This isn’t good.” Dr James said jolting Chris back. The young man’s eyes darted quickly to the HOD’s conclusion.

“Oh No!” he said even as the older man closed the result and looked outside the door thoughtfully.

“I need to see the parents.” Chris muttered under his breath.

Dr James walked past him and out of the office even as Chris turned and followed him at a distance. It couldn’t hurt to confirm if his suspicion was right.

He watched as the Doctor called a man sitting at the reception.

“I don’t see the woman.” he breathed in relief as the doctor and the man returned to the doctor’s office.

Gratefully, he turned to go back to the Laboratory. He had passed the doctor’s office and was about turning into another hallway when his eyes caught Megan walking in hurry towards the office.

He stopped. “That’s the woman.”

He watched as she opened the door and entered.

“Oh God!” he whispered as he prayed the couple would handle the news well.

With a mental note to pray for the family, he rounded the corner and walked away.

Megan stood behind her husband in silence as they watched the doctor write a report in their daughter’s Case note.

She could have caught her husband before the doctor went for him but she had needed a visit to the restroom.

She desperately wanted to show him the text message; to scream at the doctor to say whatever it was he was writing down but it was like her tongue was tied.

Dr James finished writing and closed the Case Note. “Mrs Anderson, please have your seat.”

“No. I prefer to stand.” She said with a forced smile on her face.

“Okay.” The doctor said as John looked up at her in concern.

“The thing is… ” The doctor was obviously careful with his choice of words.

“Please say whatever it is.” She wanted to scream out. Dorothy must have lied.

“We conducted some tests on your daughter and the result is quite shocking.” The older man said and started tapping his pen on the case note nervously.

“Please doctor, what are you driving at?” John asked as Megan waited in silence.

“The truth is Sapphire…” the doctor kept quiet again, his eyes darting from husband to wife.

Megan couldn’t keep shut anymore; “…tested positive for Chlamydia.” She completed.

Both the Doctor and her husband
looked at her in shock.

“Positive for what?” John blurted out looking at his wife in horror.

“How did you know?” Dr James asked with jaw dropped.

John looked at the doctor in confusion; “What’s going on?”

The look of shock on the Doctor’s face was enough answer for Megan. “So Dorothy was right.”

Her head was pounding; Images were becoming fuzzy; the room was spinning all around her; and in seconds her feet gave way and she was down on the ground.

As she fought to stay awake, she heard the doctor and her husband scramble towards her. As the light faded and a tear slipped out of her eye, she whispered; “God, this is too much to bear.”

All that remained after that was darkness.

---

Few seconds later with the sun shining brightly at the horizon, Megan walked down a pathway passaged with beautiful flowers.

She wondered what had happened and how she had gotten there.

She remembered being in Dr James’ office with the doctor and her husband.

She remembered the fuzzy images, the spinning room and the darkness. But where was she?

Deciding to find out, she walked on until she came to a large clearing. There at the center of the Clearing was a building. Excitement bubbled through her: she wasn’t there alone.

She took a step towards the building but stopped.

She looked at the building again. It looked like a Chapel and it felt strangely familiar.

She frowned thoughtfully. Where had she seen a Chapel like this before?

She blinked. The Hospital’s Chapel? Yes, that was it. It looked exactly like the hospital’s chapel but there was still something unique about the structure.

She took a curious step towards the Chapel and as if on cue, Soft music began to play from the building. She felt herself being drawn to it, so she just kept going.

The doors were closed but as soon as she was two feet from it, it opened of its own accord.

“Wonderful.” She said as she stepped in. The door closed softly behind her.

She gawked in awe as she looked around the Chapel. Once again she told herself the place looked exactly like the Hospital’s Chapel but here within the wall was a greater Glory and Power.

The music still played on, so she closed her eyes and tried to feel its melody around her.

“I have been waiting for you.” A voice called from the front of the Chapel.

She was startled by the Authority and yet the Love in the Voice that she opened her eyes and looked towards that direction. Sitting in the third row of the middle column was a man.

Megan swallowed. That was exactly where she had sat in the hospital’s chapel.

“Come.” He said without turning to look at her.

Swiftly, her feet responded and she found herself walking towards the row. She couldn’t wait to see who he was.

Soon she was standing beside the row. She waited in silence.

Few seconds passed before he finally turned to look at her with a wide smile on his face. In response, Love swelled in her heart. It felt supernatural.

“I know you.” She whispered.

“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” He said with a smile.

“John 10:14.” Megan added being encouraged by his smile.

“Yes. My children know me. When a Believer leaves the world and come to the place I have prepared for all of mine; the moment he sees me, he doesn’t need an angel to tell him ‘This is your Lord.’ Why?” He stopped for some seconds. “He knows me; his heart knows me; and he has fellowshipped with me.” She nodded in understanding.

“Daughter, sit.” He patted the space beside him and Megan moved from the spot where she had stood for minutes and sat quietly beside him.

“Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” He started as soon as she was seated. “Let’s talk about Sapphire. How is she?”

Megan looked down and bite her lower lip awkwardly; “Lord, you know all things.”

She heard him chuckle softly beside her; “Yes. But to you, how is she doing?”

She looked up to meet his eyes and saw one thing: Love. She was encouraged to speak; “As of now, all I know is she is infected. I don’t know if it’s going to be worse like Dorothy said. It’s… ” Her eyes was glistered with tears and she was struggling to keep her composure.

“Daughter, whose words are you to listen to?”

“Your word, Lord.” She replied letting the tears slid down her face.

“Good. I have three questions for you.” He said and she immediately nodded in anticipation.

“Do I love you?” He asked and watched as a look of surprise crossed her face.

She sat up straight. “Yes Lord, I have never for once doubted your love.” The words were said with so much confidence that he smiled.

“Do I love Sapphire?” He asked without Megan failing to notice that his voice had tuned down a bit.

She nodded affirmatively with a big smile on her face; “Yes, with no shadow of doubt. ”

“Now daughter,” his face was now serious but the Love was still there in his eyes; “Can you trust me with Sapphire?”

Megan smiled nervously; “Sapphire has always been yours Lord.” She paused and smiled broadly as beautiful recollections flooded her mind. “You gave her to us; you have kept and showed her your love right from her infanthood; you gave Sapphire an amazing knowledge of you. Lord, I have already trusted Sapphire to you. She is all yours as long as she lives and also eternally to dwell with you in heaven.”

He smiled. “Yes I know.” His face became serious once again. “Megan, can you trust her with me; to be with me a whole lot earlier than none of you ever thought or imagined?”

She looked at him in silence but she was clearly confused. He watched as she processed his question in her mind again.

Her eyes widened with understanding; “Lord…” That was all she could say before she started weeping profusely.

As she wept beside him, he put out his hand and patted her shoulders in a bid to comfort her.

She whimpered as she began to speak again; “Lord, you know the end from the beginning yet you have the power to heal her. Lord, I want that she be healed. I really do.” She sniffled. “But Lord let your will be done. You know all things Lord. Let thy will be done.” Even as she spoke she couldn’t stop weeping.

He didn’t stop patting her shoulders. “My Perfect Will Megan, is that Sapphire comes home. Let me remind you of the prayer I prayed at Gethsemane: ‘Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ And God’s will was that mankind be saved and without shedding of blood there will be no remission of sin.”

“Everything that happens according to the Father’s will is never a mistake. If anything happens to any of my sheep and it looks to you sons of men like a tragedy, it is not. The devil didn’t succeed because nothing happens to my children without my permission.”

“My ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts.”

“I love you, John and Sapphire and I have your best interests at heart. I am interested in you enjoying all the benefits of being my sheep here on earth but I am much more interested in your getting to Heaven.”

“I love my children so much that if calling any of them home early will save his soul from eternal perdition, I will not hesitate to do so. Megan, my will is that Sapphire comes home.”

Megan understood so perfectly.

She sighed and even though it wasn’t easy for her, she said; “Lord, thy will alone be done.”

He smiled and nodded in approval before saying again; “Megan, note my next words very carefully.” He paused for some seconds and continued when he saw he had her attention; “Have you ever heard of people who lived a short but impactful life? Sapphire will be one.”

“Already she has impacted lives but there are more to be impacted.”

Megan was clearly surprised; “But, how Lord?”

He smiled; “Have you seen people whose translation caused souls to turn to the truth?”

Megan nodded.

“They in death won more souls for me than in living?”

“Yes.” She answered quietly.

“Sapphire will be one.” She now looked at him in awe.

“Megan, I will give you a sign. It will start with Jane and her parents, and then it will spread like wildfire. There are souls that will come to the truth by her translation.”

“Jane?” She asked surprised.

“Yes, I want that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of truth.”

“Yes.” Megan said in agreement.

“I have an assignment for you. From this day, begin to make preparations to work on a biography for her; and one that you will write by yourself.”

Megan had a look of horror on her face; “Lord, I am not a writer. I don’t even have the natural ability.”

He shook his head at her words; “You speak like Moses did years ago. I will help you daughter, because that biography will be published. I will breathe life into it and through those words men will be saved.”

That settled, Megan was thinking about finances again.

He looked unhappy with her and with a firm voice he said; “O ye of little Faith. I will sponsor it my own way. This is the Father’s business.”

She nodded in submission.

His face was now lit up with joy; “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

“My daughter I am with you. No matter what people say, I am with you. You must tell all these to my son: John. You are one; so in telling you I have told you both.”

“Lord, letting a beloved go; letting a child go; it’s not easy.” Her eyes were once more stricken with tears.

He pulled her in for a Fatherly Embrace; “You have my comfort. For this loss, you will not only have double but triple blessings, even much more.” Peace flowed like in like River across her heart taking with it her fears.

He released her, gave her a final pat on the shoulder and stood up. “Megan, my grace is sufficient for thee.”

She laid her right hand on her chest; “Amen. Lord, I receive.”

“You need to go back now. Don’t forget any part of all I told you.”

He gave her a hand and she stood up. “I won’t Lord. I won’t.”

Then he smiled at her: A smile that held Love, Reassurance and with it a promise.

“Now go.” He said and in response she walked out to the space between the columns.

She took few strides towards the door; stopped; looked back again: there he was, giving her a convincing smile that he would always be there for her, for John and for their daughter.

“My daughter Remember, I am with you.” She heard audibly in her ears. She nodded and turned towards the door.

As she neared it, the door opened on its own accord again and she stepped out. It closed gently behind her.

As she walked down the path she had come, she sang softly; “Trusting as the moments fly; trusting as the days go by…”

Still singing, she walked towards a new dawn.

---

John stood up from the chair that was positioned beside his daughter’s bed and sighed in frustration. He walked towards the window blinds as he sent a silence prayer to God for help and divine intervention.

The machines connected to Sapphire had not stopped giving signs that the heart of the patient on the hospital bed was still beating normally. All her vitals were very much stable. She had been placed in a private ward on John’s request.

His wife was still out in the next room. The doctor had said she was fine: her body needed rest as she had been stressed due to her state. He had been reassured she would wake up in a better state.

John was doing everything he could to encourage himself and not forget that God was in control. He knew no matter what may have happened or will happen one thing was constant: God would glorify himself. If asked how, He didn’t know.

He had placed a call to their Pastor, and the Minister had promised to pray along and also check in at the hospital in the morning.

One thing was certain. He and his wife had each other, they had the members of their Church Family who he knew wouldn’t relent in prayers, above all they had God: All would be well.

A knock at the door brought him back to the present so he was at attention by the time it opened and a nurse entered.

He looked at her questionably when he noticed she was smiling; “Sir, your wife is awake.” He grinned widely at her words

“Thank you Jesus.” He said as he walked past the nurse swiftly into the hallway. His wife’s room was just two rooms away, so all he had to do was make a short walk.

The door was opened, so he walked in without drawing attention. Dr James was asking Megan some questions, while a nurse was helping her clean her face with a towel. It was then he noticed her face: She had been crying.

“Is she alright?” Three pair of eyes turned to look at him including Megan’s.

“We didn’t hear you come in.” The wide-eyed nurse said.

“Yes, Mr Anderson. Your wife can be out of her bed tomorrow morning. No matter what happens, she is to stay in bed till then.” The Doctor explained.

John moved towards the doctor; “As long as I’m here, she will. Thank you very much Doctor.”

The Doctor gave him a slight pat on the shoulder; “You are welcome. I need to discuss with you so you both will have an understanding of what we are dealing with as regards your daughter.”

At that point, Megan started weeping. John moved towards his wife who was still lying on the bed; “Please calm down.”

The doctor felt sorry for them that he sighed; “It’s going to be alright. I have to go home now but when I resume tomorrow morning, we will be having a discussion. We’ll be talking in detail about her treatment. We have put that on hold till she’s awake. I don’t know why she is still unconscious but she is fine in there. I believe by tomorrow morning she will come around.”

“Alright Sir.” John said gratefully.

“I will be taking my leave now. Stay strong, Mrs Anderson. God is in control.” Megan nodded in reply as he bade the couple ‘Good night’ and he stepped out.

“Well-done, its being a long evening.” John heard the doctor say to his staff just before he closed the door behind him.

As soon as they were alone, John pulled a chair close to his wife’s bed and sat down. He took her left hand in his hands; “Sweetheart, You scared me.”

She blinked; “I’m sorry. I was just shocked.”

“It’s alright.” He brought her hand close to his mouth and kissed it; “Sapphire needs us now than ever before. I can’t cope if you fall sick on me.”

“Yes, she needs us.” She replied somberly.

He must have heard the urgency in her voice because he immediately called; “Megan…”

She cut him off; “Sweetheart, we need to talk; Like really talk.”

He frowned: one that told her he didn’t like the fact she was changing the topic. “You are right. Plus you haven’t told me how you knew about the infection.”

“Oh that? You got my phone?”

“Yes.” Not letting go of her hand, he used his right hand to bring it out of his pocket.

“Check the last message. It was sent by Jane’s mother.”

John looked really dumbfounded as he unlocked the phone. “Wait a minute. Don’t tell me Jane infected Sapphire.” He now looked dazed and angry.

Megan nodded.

“Oh God.” He groaned as he searched for the message, found it and he read. Absentmindedly, he let go of his wife’s hand.

Megan waited in silence to watch his reaction.

At first, there was a look of horror on his face; then fear.

Astonished, He looked at his wife; “This was what you dealt with on your own?”

She smiled weakly; “I didn’t get to show you.”

“Lord have mercy.” He said as he bowed down with his head on her bed.

“John, there is more.” The tone of her words had him lifting up his head.

“I had a revelation. It was so real.” That had him sitting up.

“Sweetheart, I need to sit up.” She said as he stood up to give her a hand. He used the two pillows on the bed to support her back in a bid to make her more convenient.

“Thanks dear.” She said.

He pulled his chair closer and sat down. “You have my attention.”

Megan smiled; “John, I saw the Lord. I saw Christ…” She started and she didn’t stop until she had told him everything: leaving nothing out.

John did not interrupt her. He just listened though his face showed his emotions.

“This is too much for me to take.” His eyes glistened with tears.

“He gave us promises Sweetheart.” Megan said putting her left hand on her husband’s shoulder and rubbing it slightly.

“So we just wait for her to pass?” He asked gravely.

“No.” She said firmly.

“We continue her treatment because there is work to be done. God knows what he is doing.” She explained.

“You mean the biography?”

“Yes.”

“Are we going to tell her?”

The tears were back now as she shook her head; “I don’t know. John, I don’t know.”

He nodded and silence prevailed for some seconds as he watched his wife’s face.

“How did I get blessed with a woman so strong ?” He asked with a thin smile.

Holding her husband’s hand, she smiled through her tears and asked; “And how did I get blessed with an amazing husband and a girl who loves the Lord?”

He grinned at her without answering.

She continued; “Sweetheart, God is not leaving us in the dark in this matter. Things could have happened his way without us seeing it coming. He is an Unquestionable God. He doesn’t need anyone’s permission before he does things.”

“But God told us.” John completed with a nod.

“He told us and sweetheart, that means a whole lot to me.” She said with a large smile through her tears.

He stood up and sat down beside her on the bed. “Come here, beautiful.” He called as he pulled her into his embrace.

“It’s going to be alright.” He said, though more to himself than to his wife.

They prayed together and before they slept John told his wife he would wake up at intervals to check on their daughter.

Even if the size of the hospital bed was nothing compared to their bed at home, husband and wife slept holding each other.

They slept trusting that God had their best interest at heart.

Watch out for Sapphire XI

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