Necklace part 1

"Lee?"
Leeland looked up from the small clasp that he was attempting to latch. His hands both delicately held the ends of a thin necklace chain, where he was trying to help his wife fasten the necklace around her neck. After another minute, he paused, smiling warmly into the mirror across from him, so that Adiva could see. He was so proud of his beautiful wife. She was stunningly beautiful in body, mind, and spirit. She'd just received a degree in nursing, and the two of them were trying to decide what to do with their lives. Leeland felt a strong urging to continue his work on the missionary field, though he also desired to settle down and add his own children to Madison, who already called Adiva mother.

"Yes, dear?"
He certainly hoped that this wouldn't result in a long conversation. Not that he didn't love the long and complicated conversations that the two of them shared, but they were going to be late for the dinner at this rate, and since his parents were the guests of honor, it would have been quite rude to be late. At least they'd already taken Madison over to Aidan and Josephine. Josie and Adiva had been good friends in high-school, and Aidan had been a driving force between getting Adiva and her niece settled in Constance Billiard, and seeing to the payment of their education.

"I've been praying lately, Leeland."
This was no big suprise. Both of them had been praying quite a bit lately, together and seperate, over the matter of their future. Slowly, Leeland settled the necklace along Adiva's neck and back, so that he could slide his arms around her waist. He really did want to know what she was going to say, and as good couples can, he gave her a look that indicated that he wanted to know what she had been praying over. "I've been praying about our future, and I know where God wants me to be. Lee, I know that I need to go to India, to the red light district, and save the souls of the girls there, perhaps find a way to get them out of their situation.

He froze, terror flooding through his body. The Red Light District was a place of Human Trafficking and sex slaves. It was a place where most missionaries didn't dare to go, and even his own parents had avoided it- and with good reason. It was perilous, particularly to female missionaries. And here his wife was asking him- no, telling him that God wanted to send her there. He couldn't let her go! Not there, not to a place where it would be difficult to protect her. Her very presence in that area could cause her to become one of the very women she wanted to help. But how could he say no?

One look to that mirror showed him her eyes, filled with compassion for not only those women, but for him. One look told him just how true this was, and how filled she was with the burning desire of the Spirit to go and help these women, to offer them hope. Slowly he turned her, pulling her close against him, and kissing her temple. He loved Adiva, more than anything. Maybe that was the problem- maybe he was too close to putting her life before God. She clearly wasn't putting herself before the desires of God. With movements so slow it was painful, Leeland turned her back around, stooped to pick up the necklace that had long ago fallen to the ground, and looped it around her neck.
"Well?"

She sounded anxious in her desire to know if we would allow her to go, or if he would accompany her, or whatever was going on in his mind. Leeland pressed another light kiss to her neck, and then stood up.
"I'll talk to people tonight, and see if I can't get us in."

With that, the clasp latched with a sense of finality, securing the necklace in place.