Gord and his wife, Lauri were sitting on the sofa after having dinner when she suddenly got up and went over to the window. She stood staring out at the flickering lights below for several minutes before she turned and faced him. It was obvious that something was troubling her. She hadn’t eaten much of her dinner or said much all evening.
“What’s the matter, Honey?” he asked.
“I have a feeling that people are going to get laid off.”
“Why?”
“The company isn’t doing well because of COVID-19. Apparently, there have been cataclysmic reductions in sales. They had already had to close down outlets in some parts of the country.”
“Wow, that’s too bad.”
“Yes. I’m really worried, Gord. What am we going to do if I get laid off?”
“It’s possible that you won’t get laid off.”
“But, it’s possible that I could be. What are we going to do then?”
“We’ll deal with it if that happens. We’ve been through tough times before. This time won’t be any different. Now, I want you to stop worrying and come over here and relax for a while. Remember what Jesus said about worrying? It doesn’t do us any good.”
“That’s easy for you to say. It isn’t your job which is on the line.”
“But you don’t know if you will be one of the employees they will lay off.”
“It could happen.”
“I know it can happen but until it does, it wouldn’t do you any good to be worrying about it. Sometimes, I think you worry too much.”
“And sometimes I think you are too lackadaisical about things.”
“So, because I don’t obsess over things like you do, I’m lackadaisical?”
“Right now, you’re being insensitive.”
“Now, I’m being insensitive?”
“Yes, because you are making light of my legitimate concern for my future at the company.”
“I’m not making light of your fear of losing your job. You said you have a feeling that there are going to be lay-offs but has anyone said anything to you to indicate that is going to happen?”
“I haven’t heard anything concrete. I just can’t shake the feeling that there will be cuts because of the lack of sales and this pandemic.”
He got up from the sofa and went over to her. Placing his hands on her shoulders and meeting her gaze squarely, he said, “Honey, I’m sorry. I can see how much this is affecting. I didn’t mean to come across as insensitive or unsympathetic. A lot of businesses are closing and others are laying off most of their staff. We are living in uncertain times. I don’t know when or even if life will return to normal. Let’s pray about your situation. God is in control and no matter what happens, He will take care of us as He has been doing all our lives.”
She nodded, “Yes, He will.”
He put his arms around her and held her there against him for a long time. “We’ll face whatever comes together,” he promised her.
Posted for October 2020 Writing Prompts – #25 – Cataclysmic reductions
Notes to Women 