July 19, 2018
See introductory post here for explanations.
Judith walked in to Matt's room to collect his dirty clothes. He was lying on his bed, flat on his back, staring at the ceiling and looking miserable. Judith’s heart went out to him; this was so very hard. “Sweetheart,” she asked, a littl tentatively, “is there anything I can do for you?”
“Can I have a cheese sandwich?” he asked, with a bit of a whine. “I’ll even eat broccoli. Mum, I’m so hungry!”
“I know, but it’s important,” Judith said. She wasn’t sure how long it would be before she gave in to temptation and fed him properly. His face already looked so much thinner, and it had been days since he smiled. “You don’t want Satan to have you, do you?”
He squeezed his eyes shut. “Would he feed me?” he asked quietly.
Steeling herself, Judith said, “None of that now. Our Lord fasted for forty days while Satan tempted him. You’re at least getting something every other day. You’ll see, you’ll feel better when he’s gone.”
“Hogwarts doesn't sound so very dangerous,” Matt said. It was an argument he’d been repeating since he’d received the letter. “Maybe, if I go, I can control it and keep it from being evil.”
“Matt, you know what the Bible says. It’s evil! Now, would you like to watch some TV?” Judith usually didn’t let Matt watch much TV, but maybe it would cheer him up. There were channels with appropriate programming.
With a sigh, Matt sat up. “Might as well be bored there as here. Mum? Can I call Dad tonight?”
Judith sighed. Her ex-husband, and how angry she still was that he’d divorced her, was something else she tried to limit his son’s exposure to. But even if he wasn’t a good Christian, he did love Matt and wanted what was best for their son. She was pretty sure, anyway. “Sure. But let’s wait until tonight when he’ll be home, OK?”
“OK,” Matt said, as he got up to move to the couch. His shoulders were slumped and he seemed so disinterested in everything. Judith had to keep reminding herself that she was doing this to keep her son from evil. He was all she had.
Judith walked in to Matt's room to collect his dirty clothes. He was lying on his bed, flat on his back, staring at the ceiling and looking miserable. Judith’s heart went out to him; this was so very hard. “Sweetheart,” she asked, a littl tentatively, “is there anything I can do for you?”
“Can I have a cheese sandwich?” he asked, with a bit of a whine. “I’ll even eat broccoli. Mum, I’m so hungry!”
“I know, but it’s important,” Judith said. She wasn’t sure how long it would be before she gave in to temptation and fed him properly. His face already looked so much thinner, and it had been days since he smiled. “You don’t want Satan to have you, do you?”
He squeezed his eyes shut. “Would he feed me?” he asked quietly.
Steeling herself, Judith said, “None of that now. Our Lord fasted for forty days while Satan tempted him. You’re at least getting something every other day. You’ll see, you’ll feel better when he’s gone.”
“Hogwarts doesn't sound so very dangerous,” Matt said. It was an argument he’d been repeating since he’d received the letter. “Maybe, if I go, I can control it and keep it from being evil.”
“Matt, you know what the Bible says. It’s evil! Now, would you like to watch some TV?” Judith usually didn’t let Matt watch much TV, but maybe it would cheer him up. There were channels with appropriate programming.
With a sigh, Matt sat up. “Might as well be bored there as here. Mum? Can I call Dad tonight?”
Judith sighed. Her ex-husband, and how angry she still was that he’d divorced her, was something else she tried to limit his son’s exposure to. But even if he wasn’t a good Christian, he did love Matt and wanted what was best for their son. She was pretty sure, anyway. “Sure. But let’s wait until tonight when he’ll be home, OK?”
“OK,” Matt said, as he got up to move to the couch. His shoulders were slumped and he seemed so disinterested in everything. Judith had to keep reminding herself that she was doing this to keep her son from evil. He was all she had.