Joseph

by Todd Matson

I

My lady

got pregnant.

The love of my

life is having a baby

and I’m not the baby daddy. I

can’t believe it. We were engaged.

I never thought she would cheat on me.

I can’t marry her now. I hate her. So why

do I still love her? She’s a liar, a bad liar. She

insists she was not with another man. What then?

Did she conceive in her sleep? Did she get blackout

drunk and she just doesn’t remember? Well, what

then? Oh, right. Immaculate conception. Is

she delusional? Does she think I am?

I can’t marry her now. It’s over.

I have to tell her it’s over.

She has broken my

heart. It’s over.

She’s out of

my life.

II

God, You

know I loved

that woman. What

do You mean I mistakenly

confessed my love for her in past

tense? I’m sorry. Yes. I still love her.

Why do I? What am I supposed to do now?

I can’t live with a cheater and a liar. Newsflash:

She blames You, God! As if You are the baby daddy.

I’ve heard people say the devil made me do it. But never

this. What will people think? I can’t be with her now.

I just don’t know how I can live without her. I’m

at a loss. I don’t want to hurt her like she hurt

me. I can’t bring myself to expose her to

public scandal and disgrace. Maybe

I can just kick her to the curb

quietly. When questions

come, I can just say

we grew apart.

III

My God. I

have no words.

It has been written that

You appeared in dreams, spoke

through angels, but only in stories of

old. Who am I that You would send me an

angel? Who am I that You would speak to me in

a dream? Was that truly You, or am I delusional? All

I know is that I have never experienced anything so real in

my life. Forgive me for falsely accusing Mary, my fiancé, for

judging her as guilty, for walking away from her. I will do

as You have said. I will take her as my wife. I do so

love her. If what You have revealed to me is true,

that the child conceived in her is from You,

then You are with us already. Yes, as

You have said, I will name him

Jesus. I will love him as

my own. Just as

You love us as

Your own.