Chapter 21
Raven
"He's here," Jessie said, peering from behind a dining room curtain.
A man on the cusp of middle-age in crisp jeans and an ironed flannel shirt approached the front door.
"Are you sure you don't want to let Raven know?" Felipe said. He wondered if this was folly, but from what Raven had told them about her brother, it seemed perfect.
"Positive," Jessie said. He exited the back door.
Slapping on his most earnest face Felipe opened the front door and stepped out to meet the visitor.
"I understand you want to know Jesus?" Felipe said.
"What?" Askance, Avery looked at the stranger on his sister's doorstep.
"Let me tell you, he's really quite a guy. Not like you'd think at all. Would you like to meet him?"
"I already know him. Who are you?" Avery said.
"Forgive my manners," Felipe said, extending a hand in greeting. "I'm Felipe, a friend of Raven's. She's an amazing woman. You must be mighty proud. At first, I didn't think she'd get it. But you ought to see her now. She's upstairs writing the story. Of course, you know how creativity goes. So we don't want to disturb her. I'll introduce you myself."
"To whom?" Avery looked like he had a lot to say. Instead he gaped at his unexpected host.
"You won't be sorry," Felipe said. "I promise."
"Look, I don't know who your are or what you're up to."
"Don't worry. You can come to know him the way I have." Felipe patted Avery's back and guided him around the house. The walkway was still wet from the day's rain. The clouds had gone. A full moon rose above the alder tops up at the bend in the river.
"My sister made it very clear how she feels about Jesus," Avery said. "That's why I'm here."
"That's even better," Felipe said. "Come on, he's down by the water."
"Who is?"
They descended the bank, following the stone steps to the water's edge.
"I thought you said someone is down here," Avery said.
"Look over there," Felipe said.
Out in the middle of the river stood a man in a flowing white robe. A touch of moonlight kissed his face. He appeared to be standing on top of the water. He skimmed the river, step by step and climbed onto the shore.
"Raven told me you would be by tonight," Jessie said. "I am so glad for this opportunity to finally meet you."
Avery managed, "You are.... You just...."
"Don't let it concern you," Jessie said.
"Are you him?" Avery said stuttering. "I mean, it is the end times. And the Bible says he will come back. But here at my sister's house? Now?"
"You expected me to arrive with trumpets and an army of angels?" Jessie said.
"Well, yeah. So, you are him?"
"It would seem so."
"Lord," Avery said. Astonished, he dropped to his knees. It couldn't be true. Yet the man had walked on water. He'd walked on water. It was one of the signs. Avery had been praying for verification. He'd known since he was little that Jesus would come. He'd been sure of it.
"Please don't call me Lord," Jessie said. "And, uh, please get up. Your soiling your jeans."
Avery brushed the sandy mud from his knees and followed the two men up the bank to the deck. Many a time he'd sat on his sister's deck trying to convince her to see the light. Now the light was before him at her house. At her house.
"How long have you been here?" Avery said, taking one of his sister's comfy deck chairs. She did have good taste in furniture even if she was a heathen.
"At your sisters? For a while now," Jessie said.
"No, I mean back on the planet," Avery said.
Felipe smiled and watched. He'd always liked Jessie's style.
"Long enough." Seating himself across from Avery, Jessie leaned back and put his feet up on an adjacent chair.
"To see what's going on?" Avery said. "Lord, uh, Jesus..."
"I go by Jessie."
"Jessie, uh, at least you're finally here to save us. There's so much sin. So many nonbelievers."
"That's such a crippling concept," Jessie said, "don't you think?"
Felipe entered the house and returned with a bottle of wine and three goblets. He poured the wine and handed goblets to Avery and Jessie.
"To truth," Jessie said, in a toast and sipped the wine.
"Yes, truth," Avery said. "Look, if ever it was time to save us, it's now. The unrighteous need to be weeded out. You can do that. And you're here. I can't believe you are actually here."
Avery chugged the wine. It was his first ever. It tasted sour, but he liked it. He was drinking wine with the Lord. It was amazing.
Felipe refilled Avery's glass.
"Who do you think the righteous are?" Jessie said and took another sip.
"Those who follow your commandments," Avery said. "Those who know the way, your way."
"According to what's set down in the Bible?" Felipe asked.
"Yes, oh yes," Avery said. "I remember when I first came to know you, Jesus, uh Jessie. I was eleven. Before that, well, I just couldn't think of anything but playing baseball. I wanted to play for the major leagues. Then this one Sunday we had a guest speaker."
"Brady Hamilton," Jessie said.
"Yes, how do you...? Well, of course, you know. You know all about it. Well, that very day I came forward and was baptized. I've been following the path ever since. I just could never convince Raven or Demmy." Avery shook his head. "It's my biggest failure. With Demmy...."
"Don't worry about your brother," Jessie said. "He's doing fine."
"He's eternally damned."
"Damned?" Jessie said. "Words can be so misleading. Meanings change over time. Intents change."
"Yes, but we have to follow God's laws," Avery said. "If we don't..."
"There are ways that work and ways that don't. Life is a series of discoveries," Jessie said. "In the process we become."
Chapter 22
Ruth