Judith

Judith turned angrily to Reuben. “How can you say that? This man’s wife is about to give birth. They are Jews, just as you and I are. How can you send them away. to have a baby in the streets? At least give them shelter in the barn.”

Reuben gave her an angry look but Judith stared him down.

“That will do.” the man said. “Anything will do.”

Reuben finally dropped his eyes before Judith’s stare. “As you wish.” he said, backing up into the tavern. “But if you disturb the animals, you will have to leave. We have paying customers here. And it will cost you two shekels. No one stays for free.”

“I’ll pay for them.” Judith said. Reuben was about to say something, but he closed his mouth and turned his back to them, shuffling back upstairs.

Judith waited until Reuben was gone, then she turned to the man. “Come, I will show you the way.”

“Thank you, Madam. We are most grateful.”

Judith waited by the barn as the man led the ass around the back and helped his wife down. Despite the journey, despite her condition, the woman was radiantly beautiful in a way Judith had never seen before. She seemed to light up the darkness as she walked painfully back to the barn.

Judith saw them inside. The man began to unpack the ass, laying out blankets on a pile of straw. She couldn’t take her eyes from the woman. “Perhaps I should fetch a midwife.” Judith said. “There is one not far from here.”

The man smiled at her. “Thank you, Madam, but that isn’t necessary.”

Judith didn’t know how he could be so certain, nor how his wife could be so calm. “Well, at least let me fetch you some more blankets and sheets for a bed. I have some in my room. I’ll leave this lamp with you and bring more light. You shouldn’t have to do this in the dark.”

“Thank you again, but really, you have done enough. You are too kind.” he said to her with a small bow.

Judith watched as the man helped his wife settle into the pile of straw. She sensed now something beyond the beauty. Something awesome and unearthly. She looked up at the oxen and sheep in their stalls. The animals were unusually quiet and placid. They seemed to be waiting for something.

Judith experienced a sudden chill. She was freezing.

“I’ll be right back.” she said. “I’ll bring someone who can help.”

She ran from the barn and through the tavern, up to Deirdre’s room. Deirdre had had three children over the course of her career. She would know what to do.

She found Deirdre in bed with two Roman soldiers, all three snoring soundly.

“Deirdre! Deirdre! Wake up! Wake up!”

“What? What is it? Judith? What is it?”
Judith pulled her from her bed and made her dress, telling her what was happening as fast as she could. Deirdre was sleepy, reluctant, but Judith pulled her down the stairs and out to the barn.

They got to within ten paces of the barn and both stopped at once. Judith felt the hairs on her scalp prickle and Deirdre shivered. They looked at each other.

“What is it?” Deirdre asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Judith, I’m scared.”

“No, no. It’s all right. It’s all right. Come on.”

They entered to see that the baby had already been born and was lying in his mother’s arms. There was no blood, no disorder, no sign that anything had happened. Just an infant in his mother’s arms. Judith couldn’t believe it. It was like a miracle.

Ad the barn itself seemed to have changed. Although there was only the one small oil lamp she had left with them, the barn glowed with a radiant light, a light she didn’t see with her eyes so much as feel with her body. The straw on the floor looked like strands of gold.

“Oh my God.” she said. Her legs suddenly went weak and she fell to her knees.

The mother smiled at her and spoke. “Please, would you hold him? You have been so kind to us.”

Judith got to her feet and approached as the mother held out the baby. He was a beautiful infant. Impossibly beautiful, and as she took him a warmth and a gladness pierced her heart such as she had never known before.

She tore her eyes from the baby and looked back at Deirdre. “Isn’t he beautiful?” she wanted to ask. But Deirdre was on her knees as well, her mouth open in astonishment.

Judith looked back at the baby, her eyes flooding with tears of an emotion she could not name. The baby’s eyes were open and he was looking at her with the innocence and wisdom of the newborn, his soul freshly minted in heaven, and she found herself falling into those eyes, those eyes of wonder and love.

“I am not worthy.” she whispered.

The baby smiled at her and in that smile it was as if he spoke to her, to Judith the Whore. You are worthy, he said. You are more than worthy. You are worthy of everything you’ve ever wanted and more.

“But I am just a whore.” she thought.

Your body is yours to do with as you see fit, the baby told her. It is your soul that matters. And your soul is sweet and kind and filled with love. And therefore you are more than worthy. You are a queen among women.

The mother smiled and reached her arms out and Judith handed him back, her whole person filled with a joy so intense she could not speak, could not move. She just stood there motionless, ringing like a bell with the truth of the baby’s message.

The mother was looking at her with a sweet smile that told her it was true. She looked around at the animals and could have sworn they were all of them smiling too. nodding their heads in confirmation. She looked at Deirdre was but Deirdre was crying with joy, her whore’s makeup running down her face as she wept.

Judith turned and ran—leaped—from the barn, bursting with happiness, radiant with light. She lifted her robes and ran into the tavern, up the stairs and burst in on Damon.

“Yes I’ll marry you, Damon! I love you and I’ll marry you and it will all be all right. It will all be all right.”

Damon sat up sleepily and smiled a goofy smile. He did not understand, but she would marry him. It would be all right.

Judith pulled back the carpet over the window in her joy and excitement. The Square was filled with light. Everything seemed filled with light. And joy rained down like the light from the new bright star far overhead.