Xn

by Clint Townsend

  “What are you doing?” Evan asked Vicki.

  “We’re upgrading you from coach to first class!” she replied and speedily typed on her computer.

  “You can do that?”

  “Ooohhh, can we see your baby?” Tori asked and crouched slightly with excitement.

  “Oh, yeah, let’s get a good look at that boy of yours,” April added and daintily clapped her hands.

  “Well, I uh, we…,” Chloe mumbled, unassured.

  “Hold it, hold it … hold it right there!” Vicki demanded and joined her coworkers in front of the counter. “I’m not missing out on this.”

  Chloe looked up at Evan and shrugged her shoulders.

  “It’s okay,” Evan said, “Let ‘em see.”

  The three women, giddy with anticipation, watched Chloe while she adjusted Abdiel to a reclined, almost upright position in her left arm. Ever so carefully and slowly, she peeled back the makeshift blanket from her son’s face.

  “We haven’t really exposed him to other people yet,” Chloe admitted, “so I don’t know how he’ll respond to you.”

  The proud mother revealed her son to the anxious ladies.

  Abdiel was already awake with his big brown-green eyes wide open.

  Evan watched the women’s facial expressions undergo an immediate and dramatic transformation. Moments ago, the gaggle of ladies were smiling broadly and all a twitter to see the infant. As soon as they gazed upon the child, the women started to tear up. The smiles never left their faces, but were somehow different now. Tori had to cover her mouth, whereas April removed a tissue from her pants’ pocket and wiped her eyes and nose. Vicki’s jaw hung down and her neck and chest turned bright red.

  They were near hypnotized at the mere sight of the boy.

  “What’s his name?” Vicki asked as tears began trickling down her cheeks.

  “Abdiel,” Chloe answered softly, confused by their reactions. “We were told to name….”

  “We were told his name means ‘servant of God,’” Evan quickly interjected and placed his hands on Chloe’s shoulders.

  “Abdiel,” Tori and April repeated in unison as they wiped their eyes.

  “Abdiel. Precious Abdiel. You’re a special boy, yes you are. I can tell just by looking at you,” Vicki stated, then asked, “Can I touch him?”

  Chloe grinned and nodded in approval.

  Vicki slowly reached out to Abdiel, never breaking eye contact. The boy grasped at her index finger with both hands and jostled his legs.

  “Oh!” Vicki gasped lowly at the sensation of the baby’s touch.

  She peered up at Chloe and Evan, smiled, mouthed to them a silent ‘Thank you,’ and pulled her hand away from Abdiel.

  Vicki, Tori, and April stepped silently and slowly around the end of the service counter while keeping baby Abdiel in their sights. They continued to sniff and wipe at the last of their tears as they resumed their duties.

  “Now,” Vicki began after turning her attention to the computer screen in front of her, “I see you’re to make a connecting flight a couple of hours after you land at JFK. What’s your final destination?”

  Chloe and Evan replied, “Jerusalem.”