The Light within
Written by :
Ms Izabel LAnglais
June 20th,
2022 ... at the start of Litha ... summer solstice
*****************
Chapter 1
Pennelope was fidgeting looking at the
clock on the wall above the classroom door; only five more minutes to lunch time.
The teacher wished them a good break
and to be back in time for the afternoon class.
Her classmates all stood up from their
chairs and started to gather with their best friends and walk to the door;
Rachel was waiting close to the door with Theresa, before to leave. They gathered together with
their purse and backpack. Walking by Joshua smiling at her, she returned the
smile quickly and looked away before her friends started a questionnaire about
this ... She felt his friends Daniel and Joseph with him behind them,
whispering and giggling ... Creating a diversion with her own friends before
she started to blush, she accelerated her steps and they lost them behind and
went to their lockers, close to each others to pick up their lunches and
outside they went to eat.
Under a tree they sat with a blanket Rachel had in her locker
for them all; Rachel always prepared and thinking for everyone.
“We have about half and hour before it
is time to go” Said Rachel
“Maybe we will bring our things with
us instead of going back to our locker, or we will be late” replied Theresa
“That’s a good ...” Pennelope started to add,
but stopped on her track ...
“Hi...” Daniel said with his usual
kind natured smiled “Can we sit with you ? ... Or is it girls only ... “ he
asked sitting before they could answered
“Sure ...” Theresa replied delighted
before Penneloppe or Rachel could say otherwise; Theresa always more bold and
confident, with her beautiful curly black hair up and her wide smile,
contrasting on her bronze skin tone with hazel eyes. Notticing Joshua and
Joseph still standing, she gestured to them to have a sit too; which they did
happily.
Penneloppe and Rachel had open their
bags and were taking their lunches out in front of them, followed by Theresa.
The boys had their lunches too, but took their sandwiches from their bag and
ate them directly. The girls had a pot
luck sort of system organise between themselves as they always had lunches
together and so there was dishes from each of them placed on the blanket
between them they each had brought, Rachel placed the fruits, penneloppe had
brought cheese and Theresa had bread buns and they each had some sort of salade
and a juice box.
Joshua was smiling at the site ... so girly he thought to himself...
“ Have some ...” Theresa said firmly
with a gesture of her hand ... while she was breaking the buns with her bare
hands in little pieces. Daniel was
admiring her graceful maneurism as she
was doing so.
Seeing that these were extra, Joseph took some first,
followed by his 2 friends; they took a small piece each, making sure to leave
some for the girls.
“You share lunch everyday like this ?” Joseph asked
‘Yes, we like to bring one extra each and make it more like a
feast together...like this it seems a lot “ Penneloppe replied cheerfully ,
with her air that everything was always hopeful and relax. Sitting with them
seemed to be taken out of the buzz of the regular day and to fall on a slower
paste, like they had all the time in the world ... thought Joshua
They ate in silence for few minutes...not sure how to break
the ice in this situation as they never ate lunch together ... “What’s your
team project about ?” Daniel, the more inquisitive and better at conversation
asked Theresa
She looked up at him and then to her friends, confirming if
she was to talk for them and if it was ok to say...They looked at her briefly,
looking relieved that she was making the conversation; so she replied “women in
the religion” she said assertively
He paused a second and smiled and added “like what...?” ...
“nuns ?” he asked interested
“Actually, that is obvious; but there are many other role for
women in religion...” Theresa said seriously
“Really...like what” Daniel curious insisted
“Yeah...they can’t be in the clergy, like a priest...” Joseph
said pensively and curious too about what the girls would come up with that
seemed already a close topic.
“Ah ! ... “ cut short Rachel laughing “You will have to
listen to our project...”
“Yeah ... we can’t be spoilers” added Penneloppe
laughing as always and delighted to have
hit their curiosity, and to make them wait for the presentation ...
The boys started to laugh with her has her laugh was always
contagious “Ah...ok then ...” Joshua answered, feeling more giggly after his
curiosity being triggered mostly about the unexpected theme of the girls
project ...and the nice lunch idea they shared with them ...
“What is your project ?” Rachel asked Joseph
“Feed the world without loss” He answered her proudly, his friends
looking startled at his replied ... the girls nodded in approved interested so
he continued “It’s about lowering the loss in the food industry to be able to
use the extra for improvements in the animal life and so quality of meat, and
for extra money going to subventions for school breakfast or milk program or
community meals or even for other countries and allies “ He finished with a
smile
The girls nodded in approval and Theresa was going to add ...
“but you also can’t know before our presentation “ Joshua added before she could speek,
laughing and elbowing Daniel still looking frozen laughing
And the girls laughed being now kept on their toes for more
details at their turn; intensely into the amazing idea and visionary of their
projects ...wanting to discuss the matter in length ...
Theresa was truly amazed the boys to come up with such a God
faith focussed project about positive sustainability, out of all the topics
they could have thought about ... and Penneloppe was delighted they had invited
them to sit and shared their lunch with them.
As the girls started to pack their bags ... Daniel asked “so
soon, where you girls so in a hurry ?”
“We are attending the noon Mass at the Church here”
Penneloppe replied seriously. This was a side of her that was new from her
joyful and cheerful usual nature.
“You can join us too if you wish” Rachel added softly while
packing her bag, noticing that they still looked interested to stick around.
Theresa stood there charismatically waiting for her friends
to finish packing with her folded blanket on her arm, smiling at them ... Was
she daring them ?! Or was she amused by the trick Joseph had pulled out on them
about the topic project ... no she couldn’t had perceived it ... Penneloppe was
smiling too trying to hide it with Rachel ... Ah! they thought they wouldn’t
tag along would they ...
“I think we’re going...” started Daniel but was interrupted
abruptedly by Joseph “That would be great ...!” he said sternly smiling back at
Theresa “How long is it...are we going to be back late for the afternoon class
?” He asked her, trying to look unmovable...
She seemed taken aback by his response and also tried not to
show it ... looking at her friends discretely
Rachel came to rescue her so she wouldn’t loose her cool “It is set
perfect for class, but we have an arrangement if we are few minutes late with
Miss Thyme. I am sure she wouldn’t get you in trouble if it is for Church.” She
said welcomingly
So they all left together, walking to the Church next to
their High School...the girls walking ahead,
followed by the boys giggling again and elbowing Joseph with his
impulsive ideas ... but delighted he did of course !
****************
Chapter 2
Sophia was at washing the dishes after breakfast while
Rebbekah her daughter was watching her favorite cartoon. Today was day off as
Rebbekah pre-school was 2 and ½ day a week and not today.
“What are we going to do today ? “ she asked her Rebbekah as
she came to the living room.
“Go to the park” she said without hesitating
“Ok, that sound fun” Sophia answered delighted her daughter
always liked to keep the routine; and
she started to prepare their bags for
the afternoon at the park.
The walk to the park was lovely,, summer was near and the
flower beds were in blooms at each house, tree were filling and squirrels
running across lawn from one tree to the next, birds chirping loudly; even
trees were in full bloom.; every porch had their flower basket hanging already
and lawn had been cut neatly already.
“Oh Mom look !” Rebbekah tended a huge flower bunch of
dandelion to her mother with a huge smile and plucked her nose right in to
smell it and then looked at her mom with a wide grin. Sophia couldn’t hold back
her laugh as she seen her daughter nose yellowed by the dandelions
“smell them “ Rebbekah tended the bunch to her mother and
waited that she did, and she did gigiling in advance , knowing her nose will be
as yellow as her daughter’s !
“Hum lovely “ Sophia said to rebbekah “This is beautiful,
thank you so much sweetheart” and her daughter started to laugh seeing her
mother’s nose all yellow “Mom!...your nose is all yellow!” she pointed as she
laugh “just like yours” Sophia said laughing
Wipes are handy with kids and so she took some out her bag
and handed one to rebbekah and they wiped the yellow from the flower the best
they could
Passing by a coffee shop, they went in to grab a tea for
Sophia and a cookie for Rebbekah after a bathroom stop. The coffee shop barista
tried to hide has giggle too looking at them and the faded yellow still showing from up
close but nodded in approval as he seen the huge bunch of dandelions Rebbekah
was still holding proudly.
Walking to the park they pass a lilac and Rebbekah had to
have a small cluster for her mother to carry like her, and so she did of
course.
The Bells of a Church were calling from across the street,
parishers were gathered at the door and were going in. The sign announced there
was indeed a Mass at this time on weekdays...
“Is it open mom ?” Rebbekah asked as they were standing there
“Yes it is starting in few minutes actually” Sophia said
evasively
One of the parisher waved at them even if she didn’t thought
they knew each other ...
“Mom can we go ?” Rebbekah asked
“I guess we could, we have the time and the weekend is so busy
we don’t go often enough!” Last time was Easter “We are dress for the park not
for the Church “... “But look some peoples are dress like us too!” rebbekah
insisted
Seeing that her daughter seemed eager to go and delayed their
park expedition she decided to answer the call and go. It felt like being at a
cross road ... like going to the park as ususal and just listening the nice
Bells signing and enjoying seeing parishers devoted going to attend on a
regular weekday and feel nice to know some citizens were still doing so, like
in the old time novel of the 18th century she always read, in an Era
like now, comforting ... or actually being it too ! She was starting to detour
their paths in the direction of the park to cross the street and go in,
following the other parishers...like walking trough mud or cutting through and
invisible mental fence...she took her daughter hands assertively and
protectively , looking at the parishers
and feeling the pull as they were going in ...feeling this was a
crossroad that would change them forever inside...beeing part of it, making a
difference too, not just admiring them, being one of them ...the Bells were
still singing louder then the street cars in encouragement ...louder and louder
as they started to walk in the Church direction instead ... all she could ear
now was the bells...softly lively in her chest and ears like a thousand birds
singing or the water sound of a river...parishers at the door smiled seeing
they had decided to come along... Her daughter was walking assertively and
confidentely too...almost taking the lead in front of her...
“Hi Welcome !” said the greeter at the Church door
“Hi! Thank you , we were going to the park, we are not dress
for Church...” she was going to ask if it was ok or not when Rebbekah
said “but we are all clean because we didn’t paly in the sand
yet !“ she added assertively with a huge
smile
“It is very perfect...”come a s you are “ as Jesus said “ he
replied returning a protective and admirative smile at her daughter
So they walked in ... Rebbekah holding her mother’s hand and
taking the lead pulling softly for her to go faster to take seat like she
always did when was so eager to arrive
somewhere ...
And she directed her mother to the seat they would take from
now on...their family pew !
*****************************
Author and Writter: Ms Izabel LAnglais
Date: June 20th 2022
Word count: 2262 words