Mercy

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you have to go through all of this?"

"Because Joe… I believe that. Once a person can set his mind on something he or she can do it! As long you have set yourself, you can, no matter what people can say…just press on."

"Yes Ms. Maseko, you are right, I can do it!"

"Do what?"

"Do anything!"

"Huh" she looked surprised she wasn't sure of what I was talking about this time. "You are a good Psychiatrist you know how to give hope, to the hopeless."

"Are you trying to bail out on me right now?" she looked terrified. And I just starred at her "Joe please! You can't…"

"I'm just joking, I'll teach you… But I have to admit it though you are not really good with paints."

"Ouch… I know, but you shouldn't have rubbed it in." she lowered her face. She was disappointed with my comment. There's a huge difference in between learning to do something with passion and being born with it. I did not give up on her. She wants to paint with passion, so I had to teach her and be patient with her.

"So is it still three weeks?"

"Yeah sort of two weeks and five days."

"But you said a three weeks!"

"Oh?"

"Yes!"

"Ok then let's give it a try."

We went inside, I showed her and gave her the instructions on paint and what kind of paper to use for fine art. Days went by, and she has said it, once you put or set your mind on something you can do it and you can achieve it.

As we got to spend more time together, I fell more and more in love with her, she was not what I had now thought she was, but what I have felt for, in the beginning, when I first laid my eyes on her, she's an extra-ordinary girl, she's kind, loving and care's, she's a patient person, she's fun. Now I have the guts to say all this about her. Getting close to her, made me see the inner person in her. To understand her flaws and weakness, some days her car would break down and she would call me to pick her up, and ride along to varsity, we were now the best of friends. Trevor was happy that I was getting close to her.

"Mon… I think you should tell her, how you feel."

"Not now Mon… but when the time has come."

"Ok if you say so… I'll leave you to it."

This one day as I picked her up from her gate, it was less than ten minutes, after we drove off from her gate; we came across Mercy her best friend.

"Look that's Mercy let me stop over there so that I can give her a lift."

"Mon… there are plenty of other girls that go the same varsity as we are, why her?" asked Trevor.

"Because…"

"Because, what?"

"Because she's Lindy's friend, actually not friend, best friend just like you and I." ever since the day Mercy and Trevor had a bit of misunderstanding. Trevor never liked her.

"Hey Mercy!" shouted Lindy.

"Come on in, let's ride all together."

"Ok."

Mercy is the kind of girl who hides her emotions, she hides her feelings. But you would tell that she is not feeling well.

"Are you ok friend?" asked Lindy.

"Hey Joe, thanks for the ride, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it to campus."

"It's ok! We all live in the same neighborhood; we have to look out for each other right? "

Just when I said that, I made Trevor upset he didn't even say a word.

"Dear, what's wrong?" Lindy asked with so much concern for her friend.

"I'll tell you later,"

"No I want to know now!" she insisted.

"I can't explain with them being around." Mercy rolled her eyes while pointing at us.

"It's ok they won't tell anyone I know them."

"So you trust them?" her eyes were red, it was like she was crying all night or even for days.

"Look because you insist on knowing what is troubling your friend, I'll pull the car over here, Trevor and I will step out, and give you a chance to speak."

"No don't" spoke Mercy "I'll tell you… its rude anyways to let the owners of the vehicle out and stay in." she tried so hard not to cry, but then the pain she felt, compelled her to let them flow.

"No you don't have too!" said Trevor "We'll go out."

"My mom has been diagnosed with cancer!" She said cancer and tears dripped out of her eyes, she cried her heart out. Lindy consoled her. She too was now in tears. "What am I going to do if she dies?"

My eyes began to be red too and so as everyone else on the car.

"Where is it situated on the body?" Lindy asked.

"Lung, It's on a lung." Trevor's eyes were redder than mine, he spoke in tongues. It was all because of the heartache, he felt for her. We all went silent, but Mercy wept.

This was getting hard for me, what if it was my girlfriend in so much pain? How would I comfort her? What are the right words that are meant to console ones heart, mind and soul? Pain is one! It all goes straight to the heart. This situation is hard, I usually run to my father for advice, but this time around I had to stop! I needed to stand up on my own.

"Mercy," I said "Stop crying, you need to be strong for your mother, she expects you to be strong, and I know it's hard. But put it all in God's hands, he knows everything."

"I'm not a Christian Joe!" she said. "Is this some sort of God's way to punish me for all the wrong things I have done?"

"No!" commanded Trevor "You wouldn't endure God's wrath. God loves us all! He wouldn't create humans if he would bring grief towards them! He won't punish you…" before Trevor could finish her statement Mercy intercepted.

"But he killed many people during the times of Noah!"

"Yes I know."

"He also killed tons and tons of people in Sodom and Gomorrah!"

"Thank goodness, you are aware of the bible!" he said.

"Keep reading it!" I said.

"And understand it!" said Trevor "You'll find your answers please read on the book of John, read the whole chapter."

"And please do join us at church." suggested Trevor.

"Will my going to church save my dying mother?"

"No!" said Trevor

"So why would I go to church…?"

"Going to church won't save your mother, but if…" before I could even finish my sentence Lindy spoke.

"… If you believe and repent she might live…"

"And you must have faith my dear." said Lindy.

"Wow I'll do whatever it takes."

"You won't do anything" said Trevor. "You just go and accept Christ Jesus as your Lord and savior and start from there,"

"You'll be fine." I said.

"I now understand why you hang out with them more often these days; they sure do know how to revive some one's spirit."

"Yeah they are so kind." replied Lindy.

After some few classes I went to my car, I don't know what it is, whether it's luck or not! When Lindy was comforting her friend Mercy she left her diary on the back seat of my car.