The Test of Faith

Where It All Began

Again?” Kristof was obviously not pleased with Abi’s reply to him.

“Please understand Kristof. I have so much on my plate now. I’m sorry. I’ll see you some other time.”

“Ok.” And Kristof hung up after that with an annoyed face.

Abi has been really busy for the past weeks preparing for the fund-raising event for the children in the orphanage she is working at.

“Abi, why are you up so early? Aren’t you supposed to rest today?” asked her grandma, Helen.

“I’ll just drop some materials at the orphanage grandma. They need it early. I’ll take the cab and Rache will pick me up from there.”

This time, her dad asked, “Are you staying with her over the weekend? You have not been staying home lately, Abigail.”

“No dad. I’ll be home before dinner, I promise. She only invited me for lunch. We haven’t seen each other in a while too.”

“Then take your breakfast at least. You can’t be eating out a lot. You need good nutrition.” Helen said in care.

“Thanks grandma.”

The family had a pleasant breakfast together before Abi headed out to drop by at the orphanage.

“Abi!!” Little Sam was very excited to see her. “I thought we won’t see you for two days?”

“I just took a drop here to hand something to Mrs. Dawson. I won’t be staying long. But I’ll see you after tomorrow, okay?” Abi gave a sweet peck on Sammy’s cheek. Sam is Abi’s favorite kid at the orphanage. She had a very special place in her heart.

After some short exchange of stories and a few reminders from Abi to Sam, a beep came to their attention close to lunch time, it’s Rachel.

“Hi Sam! Can I borrow your favorite Abi here? I’ll be treating her out for something good because she has been very busy lately. You know, Abi needs time to relax, right?” Rachel greeted the two with such cheer.

“Sure Rache! We want to see Abi taking a good rest too.” Sam replied with a wide smile. “I’ll miss you Abi. See you on Monday.”

Abi then went to get in Rachel’s car while waving at Sam with a smile and a flying kiss.

As soon as she got in, “So, I heard you were hanging out with Kristof?” Rachel started.

Abi’s eyes widened in disbelief and chuckled at the question Rachel started with. “Is that why you wanted to see me?” She was shaking her head. “First, I am not hanging around him, okay? And who told you that?”

“Well, you forgot we have a lot of common friends, and that Mr. Popular is Mr. Kiss and Tell too.”

“If he’s telling a thing to anyone, he’s definitely lying.” Abi is certain.

“Not heard of anything but I want to know from you. How the hell are you two dating?” Rachel is obviously disgusted by the thought.

“We are not dating, Rache. Calm down. Yes, he hangs around me, sometimes. I just don’t want to be impolite. He isn’t showing anything wrong or malicious for me to push him away.”

“So, are you considering? Come on. Tell me you aren’t this stupid, Abi.” Rachel was not agreeing on anything.

“I’m not. I know what you are trying to say.”

“Yes Abi. And I am telling you he is a jerk. I’m sure he has some dirty intentions over this. Never let your guard down. I’ve seen and been through a lot like this.”

“Rache, I know, okay? I know who he is and the kind of girl he wants. And I was way out of that. I’m certain that he knows he doesn’t deserve somebody just like me. So, I was not even considering anything. I am just letting him be. I know he’ll eventually stop whatever his game is. But thank you for checking on me. I missed you.”

“Yeah yeah. But it’s the other way around. He is the one who isn’t deserving of you. He’s trash, Abi.”

“Let’s just let this go, okay? I don’t have time for things like this yet. So, there’s nothing for you to worry. I was kind of hesitant to try it anyway. I don’t want to hurt somebody else with such uncertainty in my future.”

“You will get through it, Abi. You will survive the surgery, okay?”

Abi was silent and did not speak for the rest of the ride.

Abi has been suffering from a type of cancer affecting the central nervous system, the same disease that took her mother away when she was eight. She has been in constant health management for the past years to ensure that the symptoms were controlled, and the current state will not worsen.

For this reason, she has been very careful, and her family is doing everything they can to keep her health at best. They were expecting an operation in four months’ time in hope to cure Abi’s disease.

However, the doctors have been very transparent that the chances are very minimal not to keep the hopes of the family very high.

“Ohhh what do we have here huh, Kristof? How are you and that Abi doing now? Should I be celebrating my thousand bucks soon?” Leo was teasing Kristof as he clearly showed an insulted face.

“Not yet Leo, too soon to celebrate. I’ll get those virgin robes off her. Just you wait and you say bye bye to your thousand bucks.” Kristof said in gritted teeth as he glared at Leo.

Leo chuckled in amusement seeing Kristof really pissed off.

Rachel and Abi arrived at their favorite Chinese restaurant. Abi was very fond of oriental cuisine. Her love for dumplings and noodles is just unchanging over the years.

She lived quite far on the outskirts of the big city and there isn’t any restaurant as good as this one. She visits the city very seldom as the travel will be long and tiring so most of the time, she gets to come to the city when Rachel offers to pick her up.

“Thank you so much, Rache! I missed the smell of these dumplings.” Abi inhaled the familiar smell as they entered. The cuisine being cooked inside the kitchen was very fragrant and a significant aroma of Abi’s favorites are very relaxing for her.

Rachel smiled seeing the subtle and innocent face of Abi enjoying a little air out of the whirlwind issues in her life. She wishes nothing more than a healthy and happy life for Abi.

For Rachel, Abi deserved nothing but the best. Her heart was so pure. All her life, she has been a really good girl. An obedient daughter and the kindest friend anyone could ever have akin to the epitome of a decent young lady. She was in deep sorrow thinking why she had to be the one to get sick.

“Order anything you want and eat everything you can.” Rachel told her.

Abi ordered the “usual” and they waited while the food was being prepared.

“By the way Rache, I was invited to join an art exhibit here in the city. They’ll be showcasing paintings for bidding. Mrs. Dawson volunteered me to join but I haven’t decided yet. I’m pretty sure a lot of good artists will also join so I was quite skeptical until now. I’ll be making a little out of it. The organizer will get 40% of the profit but getting 60% isn’t bad after all, don’t you think?”

“You should join, Abi. At least you can showcase what you got. Don’t mind what you will get. You are as good as the other artists out there, I’m certain of that. You just have to make sure that you are enjoying yourself. That’s all that matters. Uncle and Grandma will be proud and happy enough no matter what. Making the most out of your daily life, remember? We need happy and healthy thoughts for you, Abi.”

“I am almost decided to join. I wasn’t just confident enough, yet. I also wanted to stay a little longer here in the city and visit some places. But dad will be sad and worried. With the exhibit, at least I’ll have another reason to stay here, right? I’ll finish the event at the orphanage first. I promised dad that I’ll spend the next few days with them and that’s when I would tell them about the exhibit, if I made up my mind.”

“I assume you would stay in my place, are you? Uncle wouldn’t be very comfortable if not.” Rachel asked with her brow lifting.

“Yes yes. If it won’t be of any hassle to you.”

“Of course not, Abi. I’ll look forward to that.”

Just as they ended that topic, the food came and was served.

“Can you please tell me how the hell did Kristof get into you? Believe me, he has no good intentions towards you Abi.”

“Rache please… Let’s just enjoy our meal. You really sounded more authoritative than dad. Believe me, I have no plans of having to do anything with him.”

“You better be. You can’t just waste any of your precious time and love, to someone like him. If someone makes you cry, he better be deserving. Though we won’t allow anyone to hurt you after all.”

“Sometimes, I feel creepy around you. I was beginning to wonder if my mom has been possessing you.”

“You can easily get fooled Abi. You have no idea, and you know nothing about how evil men can be.”

“You are being exaggerated Rachel. He has been keeping in contact with me just lately, okay? It’s not even a month yet. He only started to reach out and went out to see me twice or thrice I think, after he got my mobile number. That’s when I was doing errands for the orphanage out here in the city. But that was not a date. There is absolutely nothing. He was really asking me out for a formal one, but my schedule cannot accommodate. And also, I am not ready for something like that. Not when dad doesn’t know him. I can see he isn’t sincere at any angle.”

“Good girl, Abi. Are you staying with me tonight?”

“I promised dad I’ll join them for dinner later. I’ve been out to the orphanage most of the days these last couple of weeks, so I want to make it up to him. Can you drive me home?” Abi pleaded with puppy eyes. And as expected it’s a yes from Rachel. She wouldn’t allow Abi to travel if she could drive for her.