On the Edge

by Parker Hudson

  The congregation of their church had doubled since Reverend Andrews arrived three years earlier. “It's because he speaks the Word, and people have missed it around here, like water,” her father had explained. “Once they finally drink some, they want more and more.” Now that she was seventeen and had listened to Michael for three years, she certainly understood and agreed with her father. And then Glenn had arrived a year ago and done the same thing for most of the high school students. As she knelt in prayer and their service began, she hoped that the Lord might have the same effect on Amy, on Susan, and on their problems.

  It was Balzor's habit on Sunday mornings to inspect personally several of the churches in his sector, alternating between them, at least the ones he could go near.

  As he floated down through the cathedral-like ceiling of St. James Church for their midmorning service, he knew that he did not have to fear the wrath of an angel in this particular place. There were so few prayers coming from this church that an angel would never be able to appear. He watched with glee as his demons carried out their work, managing the voices in the pews with complete impunity.

  “Imagine!” he thought, “Who would have thought, just one, or at most two, generations ago, that I and my demons would be running around inside this church on Sunday morning? Why, back then it would have been unthinkable. This place used to be alive with worship and prayer. I can remember when there were ten or twenty angels swarming all around this building, and not just on Sundays. No demon in his right mind would have come near this place. But here I am today, inside and enjoying every minute of it!”

  Looking down on the congregation, he could see one or two flickers of light inside a few saved souls. But most of them happily looked like they were either asleep or dazed. The sermon appeared to be about halfway over.

  “And while Jesus was certainly one of the greatest teachers who ever lived, hasn't it got to be arrogance on the part of the established church over these many centuries to claim that He could be the only way to salvation? Jesus said not to boast, and I tell you that it is arrogance and boastfulness which have led the church to proclaim that Jesus provides the only ‘Way, Truth, and Life.’ It is clear now from scholarly research that that particular passage was added to the Bible several hundred years later, by early church authors who were trying to set up the Christian church as the political counterweight to the Roman Empire.

  “How could God provide only one vehicle for salvation? Thus, Jesus may be a way, but surely there are others. Far be it from us true Christians to boast and to hold our heads above our Buddhist, Hindu, and even our Jewish brothers! Pray daily, as I do, that the One God of All Religions will move mightily among us and save us from such bigoted hypocrisy.”

  “Bravo, bravo!” clapped Balzor silently from the ceiling. “I couldn't have said it better myself! If that's not confusion, I don't know what is.”

  He was so pleased that he sent his demons away. “Forget about the voices here. This pastor is doing a great job without us. You can leave here and go find some people who might be going to one of the few real churches left in our sector, and discourage them. These people here are in fine hands.”

  Balzor wanted to stay to hear more, but he had to pull himself away to go check on some other churches. One place he would steer away from, of course, was Morningside Church. Even from his low altitude, hopping from church to church, he could see the intense white light of the angels who were gathered around Morningside, claiming it as Holy Ground. Those people pray all the time, and we'll never get through all the angels covering that place. I hate it, but at least we're down to just two or three churches like that in the whole sector. When you think that only twenty years ago there were forty or fifty, we've made great progress!

  7

  WEDNESDAY, MAY 17 – Amy had been able to set up an appointment with Mrs. Simpson for Wednesday during seventh period, when Bobbie and Susan could also attend. “It's a little unusual to counsel you with two friends present, but it's not unheard of,” Mrs. Simpson had said in a friendly voice. “So I'll be glad to see you then.”

  Now the three of them stood outside her door, and Amy knocked. Mrs. Simpson had been the school nurse for as long as the three of them were in high school, yet she was young. She was respected among the students for her competence, and they appreciated her good natured attempts to be “with it,” keeping up as best she could with their latest fads and sayings.

  She greeted them with a warm smile, and soon they had pulled up four chairs together in her small office.

  “Now what I can do for the three of you?” she asked.

  Amy took a deep breath. “Well, Mrs. Simpson, uh, the fact is that I'm pregnant, and I want to find out what you think my options might be. And I asked Bobbie and Susan to come along to hear what you have to say and to help me decide.”

  Mrs. Simpson's expression turned serious. “You don't have to, Amy, but if you can give me a few more details, I think I can better advise you. And don't worry,” she said, trying to ease the tension a bit, “you're not the first girl I've seen with this problem, even this spring.”

  The three girls looked at each other with surprise, and then Amy described in general about her relationship with Billy. She even recounted their conversation with him in the previous week at the park.

  After listening to Amy, Mrs. Simpson said “Well, I think you've already pretty well outlined your options yourself. Of course the choice is ultimately yours alone, but in your case I would definitely recommend an abortion.”

  All three girls looked intently at Mrs. Simpson. “Why?” Susan finally asked.

  “Because Amy is so young, and the father definitely does not want to marry her, nor does he care about the baby. There is no point in putting Amy through the problems and the risks of childbirth when an abortion in the next few weeks can get rid of the problem in a nearly foolproof manner.”

  Bobbie started to say something, but thought better of it, for the moment. Amy asked, “What do I have to do to have an abortion? Do my parents have to know?”

  “How old are you, Amy?” asked Mrs. Simpson.

  “Seventeen.”

  “Then in this state you do not need parental approval for an abortion. Nor do you need anyone else's approval during the first trimester. I assume, looking at you, that you still qualify there.” Amy nodded.

  “I usually recommend to our girls,” making it sound like she did this on a regular basis, “that you go to the clinic on a Friday morning. I can write you an excuse for your classes that day, and you will have the whole weekend to recuperate.”

  “You mean I can go right from here?” asked Amy. “Without my parents even knowing?”

  “Yes,” said the nurse. “The medical clinic will send a van right here for you and bring you back here afterwards. You can even have a friend go with you. We've never had two friends attend,” she added, smiling at Susan and Bobbie, “but I'm sure they will make an exception in your case. Would you like me to make an appointment for this Friday, or the next?”

  “I, uh, I…I definitely want to think about it a little longer,” said Amy, “but I know I have to decide something quickly, and so I'll definitely get back to you. And thank you so much for all your help.”

  Out in the hall, Bobbie said “Well, there certainly is no misunderstanding where she is coming from. I had no idea that she was so much in favor of abortions.”

  “To be fair,” said Susan, “it is her job—and abortions are perfectly legal, and it may just be the best thing for Amy.” Bobbie frowned but didn't say anything more about Mrs. Simpson.

  “Well, you're both coming with me after school to meet with Glenn Jamison, right?” Bobbie added. Susan and Amy nodded their heads in agreement.

  “And just so you won't think my mind is made up already,” Amy added, “I'm really looking forward to meeting this guy, after all you have said about him.” But, in fact, Amy had to admit that Mrs. Simpson had made a lot of sense.

  Bruce McKin
ney had called that morning and asked for an appointment with Richard for the afternoon. Richard's secretary had accommodated him at 3:00. They were sitting alone together in Richard's office.

  “Now that we have the Tomlinson contract all wrapped up and ready to close, Richard, David and I really need some help. We've got a special favor to ask of you, which is why I've come here, since we've been friends and neighbors for so many years,” Bruce began.

  “I'm all ears,” said Richard. “How can I help you?”

  “As you suggested several weeks ago, we went to our bank and asked about a loan, based on the strength of the Tomlinson contract. You wrote an excellent contract, and there is no question in any of our minds that the deal will close, just as soon as the elder Tomlinson's estate is settled. Right?” Richard nodded.

  “Well, you know bankers. They are very conservative. They looked at the estate contingency and the stock price contingency and then said they could not help us without personal guarantees.

  “Now, Richard, as you know, David and I have to expand or go broke. Our competition has expanded into several new offices in the suburbs, and they are eating our lunch with their new locations and their new agents. Richard, it's just not fair. We're the best securities analysts in town. We have an excellent track record and great guys working with us; but we've got to expand, or we'll be finished and gone in just a few years.

  “With office rent so low because of the overbuilding, now is the best time ever to make great office space deals. We've found several spaces we can take over for a song, but we have to sign five-year leases, furnish them, and hire new brokers. The bottom line is that the expansion process alone will cost about $350,000. When you add in the working capital that we already need, the total requirement is just over $500,000. Unfortunately, David and I have mortgaged everything we have to keep the company going, and even though we know we will eventually get a million dollars from Tomlinson, we're not going to survive without some immediate capital, right now.”

  “So what, specifically, do you have in mind for me to do?” asked Richard.

  “David and I are each going to two of our friends—you are one of four—and offering you a proposition we hope you can't refuse. The other three, in fact, are already directors of our company, which we hope, along with you, will show the banks a strong vote of confidence. If you will agree to co-guarantee a loan for us now, we'll pay you a $50,000 financing fee as soon as the Tomlinson deal closes. You, better than the other three, understand how strong the Tomlinson deal is. You should see that it's virtually a risk-free way to make $50,000 in just a few months. And you'll help keep our business afloat at a crucial time.”

  Richard had to admit that the proposition sounded attractive. He and Janet could certainly use $50,000. They could pay off some of their debt, do some things they had been postponing around the house, and maybe even take a vacation together, to help get their marriage back on track. And he agreed with Bruce that the Tomlinson capital infusion was pretty secure, though, like most business ventures, certainly not guaranteed.

  “Well, I'm genuinely flattered that you've asked me,” said Richard after a few moments. “I must admit that it does sound appealing. Will the guarantees have to be joint and several?”

  Bruce nodded. “The banks require it that way.”

  “Well, even so, it sounds like it may be something I want to consider. Let me think it through for a day or two, and I'll give you a call. Say, did Hugh McEver's house ever sell?”

  “Not that I know of,” answered Bruce. “I hear that Betty is getting ready to drop the price by $30,000 or so, which will really make it a bargain. I certainly hope she's successful. I know she needs the money for those kids.”

  Bruce left a few minutes later, and Richard thought again about all the things he could do with an extra $50,000.

  After school, the three girls assembled in the student parking lot, and Bobbie drove them over to Morningside Church, where Glenn Jamison was waiting for them in his office. “Hello, Bobbie. Hello, girls,” he smiled and extended his hand to each in turn. “Please come in and sit down. Would any of you like a Coke or some coffee?”

  As they sat down, Bobbie said, “I'd like a Coke. How about you?” looking at her friends. With nods from them and a final nod from Glenn, she walked quickly down the hall to the machine and came back with four soft drinks.

  After some additional introductions and discussion about the coming end of their junior year, Glenn said to Amy, “Bobbie has, of course, told me why you've come here today, and I certainly want to help.

  “Why don't you tell me a little about the situation in your own words?” Glenn asked, leaning forward and listening attentively.

  Amy repeated much the same story she had told to Mrs. Simpson earlier that day. She even concluded by telling Glenn that Mrs. Simpson strongly urged her to have an abortion, as early as this Friday, or the next.

  “Well, Amy, as you might expect from knowing Bobbie and meeting me here,” Glenn began after Amy finished, “my strong advice to you is that abortion is absolutely the wrong thing. God has created a new life inside you. He knows your baby just like He knows you. They will tell you, and I'm sure that Mrs. Simpson already has, that it's ‘simple and quick.’ Even if there are no complications, Amy, which there very well could be, ‘simple and quick’ means the death—we actually call it the murder—of the unborn baby.

  “We can't always understand God's purpose in our lives. I certainly can't explain to you why you and Billy are the parents of this child. Maybe it's for your sake, to teach you something. Maybe it's for the baby's sake. He or she might grow up to do something very unusual, or just to be a good parent. Or maybe it is for the couple who will surely adopt the baby, if you offer it for adoption, and will love it and care for it. None of us can know. But we believe that God makes all life for a purpose. It is holy and should not be terminated, particularly for convenience.

  “I'm deeply sorry that this has happened, for your sake. I know it won't be easy for you, and if you decide to go ahead and have the baby, I'll go with you to talk to your parents, if you would like me to. A lot more people from this church, and these friends who surround you, will do everything we can to support you and to make the situation as positive as possible.”

  Amy was silent for a long time, looking alternately between Glenn's face and her hands, folded in her lap. After a moment, tears filled her eyes, and she finally spoke. “I hear you, and I really appreciate what you're saying. But, like, I just don't know if I believe it, not yet. All these years I've heard that a fetus is only a thing, not really a baby. And that women have to choose what is best for them in this situation. I'm all mixed up, but I just can't stand the thought of having a baby right now. I've only been seventeen for two months…” And then she really started to cry.

  Glenn offered her a tissue and moved his chair closer to hers. “Go ahead,” he said. “Sometimes it's the best thing just to let it out.”

  “I'm sorry…I've tried so hard to manage this. To seem responsible when I was actually so irresponsible to get myself into this mess. I've tried hard the last few weeks, but it's so difficult. If it wasn't for Susan and Bobbie, I don't know what I would have done.” There followed more silence, and finally she asked, “Does it really ever say somewhere in the Bible that a fetus is a baby?”

  “Not in precisely those words,” Glenn replied. “But throughout the Bible it refers to life as being sacred, and surely that baby is alive within you. Soon you'll be able to feel him or her kick. And the Bible does say, ‘Before I knit you together in the womb, I knew you.’ That has always meant to me that each one of us has been individually created by God Himself, who has known our spirit since before our parents conceived us; and also that he considers the womb to be a holy place, not to be tampered with.”

  “Well…” Amy took a deep breath and was able to dry her last tears, “I really, really do appreciate what you've said. It's so very hard, and I still don't know what to do. I c
an see your point that it would be wrong to terminate the baby, if it is a baby. But, like I said, I just can't imagine having a baby now. It just seems so scary, and even with your help, my parents would never understand. They would be so disappointed.”

  “They'll probably be disappointed in the beginning, yes, Amy. But I can almost promise you that they'll get over it quickly. I'm sure your parents love you so much that even this situation will only strengthen your relationship, after the first few days. And before long they'll be looking forward, as you will, to the birth of your baby.”

  Amy finished her Coke and slowly stood up to go. “Before you leave, let's pray together,” Glenn said. “Here, let's hold hands.”

  Glenn and Bobbie extended their hands, and Amy and Susan, somewhat self-consciously, took them, forming a circle. Glenn bowed his head, and the others followed. “Dear heavenly Father, I ask a special measure of blessing and protection upon Amy this day. And upon the baby growing in her womb. Please give her the wisdom and the courage she needs to make the right decision for the two lives she now carries in one body. And I thank You for her friends, Susan and Bobbie, who are helping her through this difficult time. Please, Father, bless and protect these girls and their families today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

  Amy's eyes were moist again as she shook Glenn's hand and the three of them departed. Walking to the car, Amy said, “Wow! He is something. You're right. He is very friendly, but it seems like he can look right through you. Whatever happens out of this, I may want to come back and go to church with you someday.”

  “That would be great,” replied Bobbie. “In fact, we'll pick up either or both of you on any Sunday you want to come. Your houses are right on the way from our house to the church.”