It was only then that Shawney realised he must be hungry. After hearing his words, she held out the bowl of soup towards Torren, "Help me finish this soup if you don't mind."
Hearing him laugh, "What's so funny?" when his stomach made a sound. "Oh, my goodness, this is truly negligence on my part; you are really hungry? I thought you were joking"
When he hesitated to hold the bowl, Shawney placed the bowl aside and turned to look at him, but suddenly she felt like everything was spinning around her.
Torren notices how pale her face becomes, "Shawney," taking her in his arms, "Shawney, what is wrong? You don't look well. Come lie down for a minute."
Hearing her speak so softly, "Torren, will you check on Gretta? She is crying."
"Sweetheart, Liz will attend to Gretta; you just relax. You are not looking well."
"Torren, you are not listening to me, I said, Gretta is crying." Listening to hear if Gretta was crying, but he heard nothing.
Torren noticed the way she closed her eyes, and her face was white as chalk. He thought she must be really sick, so he removed the towel from her hair. "Shawney, your towel is wet."
With her eyes still closed, she murmured, "Just give me a minute, I will change in a bit, and try and stop Gretta from crying, please, it is giving me a headache."
Becoming a bit confused himself, wondering where she was hearing Gretta crying. He said calmly, "Okay, I will check on her while you change."
Returning to her room, he saw her change into a beautiful sunflower dress. "Torren, why is Gretta still crying?"
Her face was still pale, he responded, "Shawney, Gretta is asleep." Thinking, 'She will rest now, but she looks so confused, just like me sometimes.
The blood from her face seems to drain out even more, but seeing the puzzlement? When she asks. "Is there another baby in the house, Torren?"
Torren wanted to know why she was asking this question, but he answered honestly, "Shawney, besides Tray and Gretta, I don't think so?" Watching her cover her ears as she stood up and left the room, "Where are you going, Shawney?"
Hearing just a whisper, "I need to get away from the noise, it will drive me crazy." Watching how her footsteps hasten out of the room and out of the house.
First, it started as a walk, then she began running. Following her, it took me at least ten minutes to catch up with her. Seeing her sitting on the pavement with her head resting on her knees. Torren felt relieved, not saying anything as he sat beside her, breathless.
Hearing how breathless he was as he sat next to her, he looked so concerned. Holding his hand in hers, she gave it a gentle squeeze.
Realising he was so concerned for her, 'Boy, that feeling was overwhelming. No one has ever shown such concern in a long time. '
Leaning her head on his shoulder, "Torren, sorry for giving you trouble, but I am much better now, thanks," trying to reassure him that she was okay.
Realising at that moment, the chilliness that was there earlier, when she started to walk, had vanished, not even the hot soup had extinguished that chilliness.
Shawney muttered to herself, 'Thank God the crying in my head had stopped, and the inside of me felt warm once again' Hearing Torren ask, "Shawney, what just happened?"
"Torren, this might sound stupid to you, but I was hearing a child crying in my head."
"Is it like what I hear sometimes?"
Shawney slightly turned her head his way and said gently, "Maybe, but I was hearing a baby crying, but it is gone now."
"Is that why you thought it was Gretta crying, Shawney?"
Seeing the nod, "I am sorry if I scare you, Torren, but maybe the Lord wanted me out of the house."
"Shawney, what nonsense? Why would Jesus want you to get away from the house?"
"I can't say, I can't even explain it to myself." Smilingly, Shawney silently, 'Thank the Lord for helping her feel better, and that run had eliminated that chilliness.'
"Are you having a happy thought, Shawney?"
Nodding her head, Shawney continued to smile, turning to him, "Sort of."
"Won't you share your happy thoughts with me, Shawney?"
"Nah, one of these days when you encounter Jesus, and things happen in your life, you will have happy thoughts also."
"Well, you confuse me, one minute you wanted to eat ice cream, then you started to feel cold, then you asked Mrs Louise for soup," seeing him shaking his head,
Stroking his face. "I didn't mean for you to become confused, Torren. Sometimes things happen, and we don't know how to explain why or understand everything.
When I started to feel cold, I thought a hot bath would eliminate the chilliness, but it didn't. Thinking when I got the hot bowl of soup, that would help, but it didn't.
Then I started to hear a baby crying, and I thought it was Gretta who was giving me a serious headache. When you told me it was not Gretta, and there was no baby in the house. I was even more confused, but don't worry, the run worked wonders; that chilliness I was feeling is completely gone, and now I am feeling much better."
"Is that why you were smiling, Shawney?"
"You could say so, now we can return? That soup I drank has melted away, and I am feeling hungry now."
Holding her hand, he stood up, "Shawney, we have a problem."
"What is that? Are you no longer hungry, Torren?"
"Oh, I am very hungry, but your beautiful dress is soiled."
"Don't worry, I will dust it off."