The Awakening of John - Episode 9

Strangely, it seemed to John, he left the flat with his stomach churning less than normal and didn’t even get irate at the Fiat Panda that cut him up at the roundabout and then took the last place in the carpark. He glanced at his watch and had an idea. Fifteen minute later, he arrived at work with an Espresso and a milkshake and dropped in on Mubina before his newfound self-assurance leaked.  She wasn’t at her desk – he saw her further down the corridor speaking with a colleague. Embarrassed to wait, he nipped into her office and placed the milkshake on top of a hastily written note and left.

He wondered if she might call him, but all his calls were the dull, work-related types and he realised that his familiar anxiety had returned, worried that he had offended Mubina or overstepped a mark. He recalled that Bob had said he understood how hard it was not to be anxious and made a mental note to ask him, realising as he did that he was both glad to have Bob around and mad at him simultaneously.

It was in that slightly foggy minded place that he heard a knock on his office door. Looking up, he saw Mubina and enthusiastically waved her to come in.

“I come bearing gifts” she said, holding up a bag of unidentifiable goodies. “I thought maybe we could walk to the park and share lunch – if you don’t have other plans?”

It was lovely, the walk, the food and Mubina’s company. She’d asked him about himself and about his faith, he’d almost mentioned Bob, but decided it was way too soon to be telling her about sharing his flat with God… instead, he asked her about her faith and discovered more in half an hour than he’d known in his life. He loved her passion for her faith – and when she spoke about God’s love and forgiveness, he was open-mouthed shocked. She had laughed and teased him about his preconceptions and stereotyping. But it was done with good grace and humour and John found himself increasingly drawn to her.

“So, what plans do you have for this evening?” had been the only challenging enquiry. He’d desperately wanted to declare a free evening in the hope that perhaps they might meet up. But he’d hesitated and she’d misinterpreted,

“Ah, sorry, I’m jumping ahead…”

“No, you’re not, I’d really like to spend some time together – but tonight I’ve already got a commitment – a kind of counselling session…”

“Oh, that’s good – I mean not that I think you need counselling, but that you’re doing something important for you. Well, let me know when you’re free and we can have that milkshake – but together this time.”

As he drove home that evening the voices in his head were sounding warnings. ‘She’s a Muslim, what are you thinking, how complicated would that get quickly?’, ‘Have you forgotten scripture, that you shouldn’t be unequally yoked?’, ‘Work relationships never work…’ As he pulled up outside the flat, he realised the one voice that hadn’t cautioned was the only one he actually cared about. Bob had encouraged him to get to know her…

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