Elizabeth

Extract 12
I've never been so nervous in all my life as I was when I knocked on the door. So much resting on what I see when Elizabeth opens it. So much confusion inside me:

'Lord, please let her be pregnant, let it not have been a dream.'
'Oh God, please don't let her be pregnant, let me go back to just being Mary, engaged to Joseph.'

There, it's done, the door knocked. A shout from inside, someone sees me from a window. 'It's Mary' someone says. A confusion of voices, then the door swings open. Elizabeth stands there, I can't get passed her - she's too big already. Then somehow I'm inside and I shout 'Elizabeth'. Suddenly she grasps herself as her baby jumps - I go to help her but she just laughs at me, then almost bows:

'Why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?'

That's when it hit me. It's all true. I am pregnant - it isn't a game, it isn't something happening in a story. It's me - I can't begin to understand why, but it's me and I am humbled beyond words.

Extract 13
Days and weeks of talking, of remembering, of praying. Trying to understand. Elizabeth told me their story - it's so funny! Of course we all knew they'd been praying for children for years (didn't realise they were still praying!). Nothing had happened, but then we'd got used to God not speaking to us - it's 400 years since the last prophet spoke to Israel - which is why I'd always seen a heaviness, a weariness in Uncle Zech's eyes. The rituals must have become pretty empty sometimes - I know they have for most of my friends. Anyway, it was his turn to go into the Holy place in the temple for the evening sacrifice and as usual a group of people had gathered to watch (the usual suspects - the ones showing off their holiness and the visitors who haven't seen that nothing happens!). Except that this time something did happen! Gabriel appeared to Uncle Zech! He said that their prayers had been heard and that he and Elizabeth would have a son who would prepare the way for our Messiah! Uncle Zech couldn't believe it (or maybe wouldn't allow himself to believe it - Gabriel is pretty believable - I should know!). Anyway, Uncle Zech came out and he still can't speak so the details aren't all that clear, but one thing's for sure - Elizabeth is going to have a baby!

Extract 14
I'm going home tomorrow. It's been three months. I don't need the sight of Elizabeth's bump to confirm my own condition any more. I feel sick every morning, I haven't bled for three turns and if I look carefully, I can see the difference in my body. It's all frighteningly real. I know I have all the wonderful things that Gabriel said 'He will be great and called the Son of the Most High' and the words Elizabeth prophesied: 'Blessed are you among women' and even the words that I prayed 'He who is mighty will do great things'. All this and more and they are wonderfully comforting and at times really exciting. And I know more with every passing day how privileged I am to have his son in me.

But how will I tell Joseph?