Forgiveness In War

Richard Jones stepped through the door of his home to the smell of his wife’s original recipe of cheese potatoes. He set his brief case holding all his work from the office at the small business he worked at. While taking in all the other aromas he could as well as at the same time forget all the stress of work as the pitter-patter of his children’s feet approached from upstairs. “Daddy!” screamed his little girl.

“Dad!” cried his son, “How was work?”

“Good Kyle, thank you for asking.” He responded as he added a question, “How was school today?” “I was informed that you had a friend over.” He added with a smile.

“School was fun,” said ten-year-old with boyish grin, “we got’s to look at the inside of a dead frog! It was cool!!” As the children climbed on their father with boisterous laughter and glee Mrs. Jones turned from setting the last plate of food down on the table. She smiled with great affection at the loving sight she was watching, she then moved to take Jennifer from her husbands arm as he set Kyle in his seat. They both reached for each other and embraced with a hug and soft kiss on the lips as both their kids made faces “So work went ok I take it?” She asked her husband with a smile as they both sat down to their meal.

“Yes it was as good as work can be.” Mr. Jones responded with sarcasm, “But God continues to take care of the business despite how small it may be.” He continued with perseverance in his voice.

“Well, that’s good to hear,” Mrs. Jones said, “I hope your hungry?”

“Of course,” He replied, “I’m always hungry when my wife makes her famous cheese potatoes!” “Alright, well” he continues as the family starts to grab their napkins or utensils to eat, “Let’s pray.” They took each other’s hands and bowed their heads and Mr. Jones prayed, “Our Lord we thank you for this bounty that has been placed on our table. And for the hands that have prepared it, we also ask that you would watch over our friends and family this evening wherever they may be, Amen.” He said.

“Amen” agreed the rest of the family.

As they began to pass around the food and taking a share that was bigger than what they each knew they would not be able to eat. Richard and Amy Jones began to talk about what was going on in the community like how the Rice’s had just got a new computer that was able to do the latest do-dad and how the Freeman’s had just found out they were going to have a baby. They also started to discuss what was happening at their local church, both Richard and Amy were in fact Christians and very devote one at that. So if anything was going on at the church they knew about it, then Amy turned to her son to ask but at the same time tell him. “Kyle don’t you have something that you’ve forgotten to tell your father.” She said.

“Yes…” Kyle replied with a sadden face.

“Well…?” his father asked.

“When Josh came over today,” the little boy said in very quiet tone, “We were playing war with our squirt guns. Josh said that he saw Jennifer our target and we squirted her. And we got her all wet and muddy to cause we scared her so she slipped in a pile of mud.”

“Oh…” Richard said in a calm knowing tone, “I see and did we say we were sorry to our little sister?”

“Yes” answered his son meekly.

“Good,” he said with a kind smile, “And will ever happen again?”

“No” replied the little boy.

“Alright then,” he said as he pats his on the back, “May be next time you pick a different target like the dog or the cat.” He added with a wink.

“Ok!” cried his son with glee.

Outside came the sound of grinding tires from Amy Jones best friend’s house.

“Sounds Like Charlie’s home.” Said Richard

“Oh lord protect my friend this evening” Amy prayed aloud.

“…And mine too.” Kyle added to his mother’s prayer.

Across the street, Charlie Cromwell climbed out of his car with some trouble, stumbling towards his house. Covered with beer and smelling like puke he opened the front door with a slam, he reached kitchen where his wife Karen Cromwell jumped with a start. “Honey” She said timidly, “You sacred me.”

Her husband mumbled a few things that couldn’t be understood then said, “I’m going to the family room to watch the game” As he stumbled to the refrigerator and took out a beer.

“Ok.” She replied politely knowing she didn’t want to upset her husband.

A little boy came running down the hallway to the kitchen for his dinner and bumped into his drunken father.

“Oh I’m sorry daddy.” The little boy said in terror.

His father swore, “Watch where your going boy or you’ll get your beatin’ early!” the man said in a slurred tone. The boy shuddered as his mother rushed to her son’s side to protect him from what may or may not have happened.

“Joshua did you wash for dinner?” Karen asked her son.

“Yes,” replied little Joshua who was still shaken from his father’s threat “Is Daddy ok? He asked

“Of course.” Karen lied quickly to her eleven-year-old son, “Daddy just had a rough day.” She added with a little more affirmation. They both walked over to the table and Karen set their TV dinners at chairs on either side of the table. They both started to eat their dinners in silence like they did every night of the year while Charlie was drunk asleep in the family room. But tonight Karen tried something different, “So…Joshie did you have fun at Kyle’s house today?” she asked.

“Uh-huh,” her son replied with excitement, “We played war in his backyard and squirted al kinds of things.”

“Sounds like you had lots of fun” she said with a warm smile at her son.

“Can we go to Kyle’s church tomorrow Mom?” Joshua asked his mother earnestly.

“No,” she said, “I won’t have a car to take you. Because your dad is going to have the car tomorrow.”

“Kyle says he prays for my dad every day.” Her son said with pride. “He told me we are best friends forever.”

“Really.” She replied to her son’s statements with great interest. “Did you tell Kyle thank you?” she inquired.

“Yes” her son answered.

“Good” she responded. There was a long moment of silence between the two of them in the small dining room that was covered in trash and clothes that needed to be cleaned. Then came the sound of an empty bottle hitting the wood floor in the family room where Charlie was asleep. Karen threw her plate away and peaked into the family room to see if her husband was really asleep as she returned her son had thrown his plate in the trash and was waiting for his mother. “It’s clear honey lets go back to your room and get you ready for bed” she said in a whisper as they both proceeded back down the hallway past all the pictures containing happy memories of when they were a happier family.

“Ok” replied Joshua. The both reached the bathroom where they both grabbed their own toothbrush and began to brush away the dinner they had just eaten.

“Alright young man,” Karen commanded, “Let’s wash that face and hands and get your pajamas on for bed.”

“Alright” her son said with hesitation and a quite giggle. So she washed his face and he washed his hands and they raced each other to Joshua’s bedroom where he got into his pajamas and climbed into bed and asked, “Mom?”

“Yes dear.” She answered.

“I wish daddy didn’t drink,” the little boy said as tears started to well up in his small eyes.

“I know Joshie me too.” Karen said through a choked sob, “Me too.”

Across the street Richard Jones sat down in his armchair in the living room next to the fireplace and was reading the newspaper, while Amy Jones was in the process of chasing her children upstairs to take their baths. “Aw, mom…!” Whined the little blonde haired boy, “I don’t need a bath I’m not dirty.”

“Oh yes you are” she replied sternly, “You were outside playing and you know that if you play outside then you need a bath.”

“Aww!” he whined more.

“Kyle!” came the voice of his father from around the corner, “You do as your told and take your bath.” The little boy peaked his head around the corner and gave his father a pouty face, “Don’t look at me like that son you do as your told.”

“Oh alright!” Kyle said in resignation as he followed his mother up the stairs. “I still don’t think I need a bath.” He muttered under his breath. Richard Jones chuckled to himself thinking how much his children had grown and thanked God for how close both of his kids were to the God that he served. Amy Jones was thinking the same thing as she finished drying her daughter off and her son was climbing into the bath.

“Mom?” Jennifer asked her mother.

“Yes honey,” she answered her wet faced daughter who was trying to see through the water that was still running down her face.

“I can you read a story to us tonight?” the little girl inquired as her mother wiped her face and patted down her hair.

“No not tonight it’s late and you both have an early day tomorrow.” Amy answered her daughter sweetly.

“Ok.” Came the disappointed answer from the girl. After both children had taken their baths and were ready for bed, their mom and dad came into each of their rooms to say goodnight. After kisses and hugs were given bedtime prayers were prayed and the lights were turned off and doors were left crack in case God came. As soon as all was said and done both parents hold each other and walk down the stairs together humbled at what God had given them.

Across the street little Joshua was just tucked in and kissed goodnight as well, and Karen closed the door to her sons room. Hoping her son's innocent ears would not hear the argument that her husband and her would eventually get into. She closed her eye’s and turned towards the family room with tears in her eye’s as she knew what was to inevitably happen next would hurt her emotionally and physically.