Holiday Miracles IV

IV

          

      “It’s going to be alright.”

Holding Kate’s hand, he was praying to God for guidance and watching his sleeping son curled next to his mother; desperation, frustration, sadness and love beyond measure, the tumultuous emotions of the evening. Those uttered words from Kate the only exception - or addition in his dreams - to the events of the night before and oh, how he wished it were true.  

How happy that would make him to be planning her welcome home party rather than her funeral. But that was just the coward’s way out, he thought. It was time to face reality, and part of that reality was when and what to tell Jacob.

Was it right to expect a five year old to understand something his adult brain didn’t? A kid was only a kid once. He couldn’t, didn’t, expect his young son to have the answers to the questions or take on the responsibilities of the adults in Jacob’s life. Putting too much on Jacob was wrong to Wes’s belief.

But on the other hand, if he didn’t tell him ahead of time and waited until he was old enough to understand, would Jacob hate him for not letting him be part of the decision? Were there things he’d be robbing Jacob of doing with or saying to his mother by not giving him warning?

Either way he looked at it, explaining death to his son was hard at any time of year, at any age, but at Christmas doubly so.

Holiday Miracles III

III

      “Good evening, Wes,” greeted Kate’s Dr as they entered Kate’s room. “I’m afraid there’s still no change.” As a husband Dr Rattan understood Wes’s inability to make the decision he needed to make. If roles were reversed he didn’t know if he could choose to turn off machines keeping his wife alive. But as a doctor, he believed it cruel, to Kate and her loved ones, to drag out the inevitable. “Have you made a decision?” he asked.

Wes looked pointedly at Jacob, a gentle reminder that they weren’t alone in the room, and carefully responded. “I’ve thought of not much else, Doc” Wes answered, nodding towards the door. Wes turned to Jacob and said, “Dr Rattan and I will just be out in the hall for a minute. How ‘bout you talk to your Mom while I’m gone.”

“I prayed, well maybe hoped, I’d walk into her room today and she’d be awake. That I wouldn’t have to decide on anything more than what was for dinner tomorrow,” Wes told Dr Rattan. “You know, I bought her a Christmas present – a heart locket. I had the jeweler do our pictures so that when she opens it, it looks like we’re holding hands.”

“You’re just making it harder on yourself, Wes; you know as I do what Kate wanted. You can’t put this off any longer, it’s not right.”

“Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve. I won’t,” Wes paused at the look on Dr Rattan’s face, “can’t, do it until after Christmas. I won’t do that to Jacob.”

“I’m sure Kate will forgive us under the circumstances, but Wes? The day after Christmas is as long as I’ll wait.”

Wes stood in the hallway alone long after Dr Rattan went on his way praying for the help he and Jacob would need in the coming months.

Holiday Miracles II

II

What kind of man would it make him if he agreed to pull the plug on his wife’s life support? What kind of husband would he be if he didn’t?

Wes had been circling around this, running on hope and pure adrenaline for months. He’d spent what seemed like a lifetime praying and hoping for a miracle but time was running out.

Kate was his wife, his best friend, his one and only and the love of his life. They still had a lot of life ahead of them to live, many more places to go and dreams to turn into reality. It mattered not one bit to him that most of his days were all the same.

He’d wake up, get ready for work, and wake Jacob up for school. Then juggle eating breakfast with him while packing lunches and reading/signing the endless parent information forms the school sent home and after dropping Jacob off at before school care it was off to work for Wes.

After the long daily grind of traffic and the office he’d pick Jacob up from school, take him home and go over his homework with him before eating a quick bite of supper. If it was a work night at job number two, he’d wait for a neighbour's daughter to come over to sit with Jacob. If not, as was the case tonight, they’d head to the hospital to visit Kate.

Keeping up with two jobs to pay the hospital bills, taking care of Jacob, tossing and turning at night trying to get some sleep so he could get up the next morning and do it all over again had Wes on the verge of exhaustion, but he couldn’t let go. How could he?

He had another five days – the time that Kate’s Living Will would allow -- to put off what looked like the inevitable. And her wishes were very clear. If she was ever on life support she didn’t want to live long enough to be a burden to him and it was up to him to end her life with kindness.

She allowed one month’s grace from the time her Doctor advised taking her off the machines -- a concession she made after he protested that Doctors weren’t God, that God may work on his own timetable, and that he’d never be able to live with himself wondering if he’d taken away the only chance she had at life.

Kate had no way of knowing that decision would have him signing her death warrant just days before Christmas. How could he look Jacob in the eye, when he was old enough, and tell him that in the end it was he who took his Mom away from him?  And at Christmas?

Jacob would hate him, and who could blame him?

Holiday Miracles - I

I

Jacob’s family once celebrated Christmas with all the trimmings. His Mom would have had the house decorated and the tree up by now. The smell of her Christmas baking would be wafting throughout their home from now until the big day. Presents would be wrapped and hidden in his parents’ closet ready for ‘Santa’ to put under the tree on Christmas Eve. But those days were over and he was angry.

Angry, not at his Dad for not celebrating the holidays this year, but at the driver of the car who hit his Mom in the crosswalk that day in August; angry at God for letting it happen and for not answering his many prayers.

“Jacob,” said his Dad, “We’re leaving for the hospital in a few minutes. Be ready to go in fifteen.”

Jacob wished he was old enough to stay home alone. He didn’t know why Dad kept going there. What was the point? Mom had been unable to wake up since the accident; she didn’t even know they were in the room with her. Dad tried to tell him she could hear but he didn’t believe that. She was a stranger now.

His Mom would have laughed at his stories, hugged him to say hello, goodbye and just, well, whenever he looked like he needed one. Now, he’d sit there, listening to Dad tell his Mom about his day then watch the familiar sadness come crashing in when her facial expression remained as blank as it had since August.

“Ok, Dad,” was his only reply as he put his book and toys in his backpack to take with him for the long evening ahead. 

Angels Among Us - Harmony Part 8

Hand to forehead Harmony weaved white light so bright through Brick, light that only an experienced Angel, or He himself, could see. Colours once weak now shone brightly, but for the faint glimmer of pink around his heart. She’d done what she could, his battered and bruised body would heal, but she didn’t need to be an Angel to know that if his battered heart didn’t, the life he’d go forward with would be as a shell of the man he once was.

She prepared to thread off for what she hoped would be the last time. Brick was on the verge of awakening when the pink went from a glimmer to the brightest light in the room, and in walked Lisa.“Hmmm. I’d say my work here is done," Harmony said to herself. "Time to wake Serenity as I promised and leave the rest of Brick's healing in his hands...or heart as the case may be.” 

“How long was I asleep? Is Brick alright?” Serenity asked. What a remarkable Angel she was, thought Harmony, that Serenity's first thought upon waking was to give Brick a thorough inspection. 

Leaving Serenity to her fussing, she reached her hand over to smooth her daughter’s hair. She’d already broken enough rules for one day, but she couldn’t help thinking that if only she could allow Lisa to know she was there with her, that she wasn’t going through this alone, that all would be well. 

to be continued...

Angels Among Us - Harmony Part 7

 ‘Ours is to unquestionably obey His rules, abide by His decisions and always show faith that He knows best’ -- the one lesson Harmony drummed into her Third-Spheres’ heads when they questioned the why’s and when’s of His plan, advice that had served her well until now.

She knew she could never go back when she was done today. Crossing the veil of another Angel’s Cloak of Healing without their permission or knowledge, or without a member of the Seraphim present, could bind an Angel for eternity in limbo, a more unappealing thought to her than not making Seraphim.

A stern reminder about the rules was all she would receive if she backed out now, but right or wrong, she’d made the decision from her heart. For Lisa’s sake, she had to halt the battle within and focus her energy on healing Brick.

To be continued...

Angels Among Us - Harmony Part 6

Serenity, about to finish the Cloak of Healing she’d weaved around Brick, nodded to Harmony that she was ready to thread their glittery trail together. It was rarely necessary for an Angel to require help in making the Cloak of Healing, but weaving so soon after a case of Dullwing Flu and wanting to give Brick every chance to heal, Serenity gladly accepted Harmony’s assistance.

“I dearly hope this works,” said Serenity.

“Believe,” Harmony responded, as she tied her thread to Serenity’s to seal the bond.

In the quiet aftermath the Angels discussed, down to the last detail, Harmony’s plan to release Lisa from her promise. Harmony knew her true plan would put her at risk of demotion - a small price to pay – but she wouldn’t take Serenity down with her. As the exhausted Angel bowed her head, Harmony sprinkled her with Sleeping Dust. “Sleep my dear friend for we’ve a long road ahead. When Brick starts to stir, I will awaken you.” 

She would never make Seraphim now, but what good was being an Angel if she couldn’t put things right for her own daughter, Harmony thought as she laid a gentle hand on Brick’s forehead and began to open the forbidden channel.

To be continued...

Angels Among Us - Harmony Part 5

 “Brick, I’m here,” said Lisa as she gently took hold of Brick’s hand. “Please wake up.”

“I’ll go and find Dr Marsh,” Victoria said to Lisa, “and give you some time alone.”

It was quite a rarity to see Lisa’s take-charge-of-the-situation-attitude falter when she looked at Brick, and although her hope was renewed by the love she saw in Lisa’s eyes, Victoria would take her prayers all back in a second if it would just make Brick wake up and see again.

Victoria couldn’t rid herself of the feeling that this was her fault. Before Brick’s accident her prayers were for anything that would bring Lisa and Brick back together...seeing her son like this wasn’t what she had in mind. Fate could be cruel when she wanted to be. Just where was Brick’s guardian angel now? Was anyone up there listening to her prayers?

They could see the mantle of pink glitter wrapping around to protect Victoria, but Harmony and Serenity knew by the aura of blue for the sadness consuming her, that Tranquillity – Victoria’s Guardian Angel – had her work cut out for her.

“Oh,” said a frustrated Serenity. “We’re Angels. We should be able to tell her it will all work out.”

“Tranquillity is trying, but until Victoria calms enough to hear her the best way for us to help is to get to work here,” said Harmony.

to be continued...

Angels Among Us - Harmony Part 4

 It was Serenity’s strength of will alone that had the gold sparkles glittering from her pink robe as Harmony filled her in on what had happened during her illness.

“How is it possible that Brick can see you, talk to you? I know there are some who can feel our presence, but they’re not supposed to actually see us and only in prayer can they talk to us with few listening to hear our whispered advice,” said Serenity. “Unless...”

“Unless we have a personal connection to them,” Harmony finished. “Lisa is...I mean was...my daughter. I’m here to right a mess I made the day I died. That day, I made Lisa promise to watch over and care for her father, to always obey him.” Harmony, clearly embarrassed and agitated, glittered a mixture of blue and red as she went on to explain. “I thought it would make things easier for Tom to raise a ten year old daughter alone but it’s that promise that keeps Lisa from letting go, from allowing herself to be happy.”

“And therefore the reason Brick could never do right,” Serenity nodded with complete understanding now. “So you’re here to bring Brick and Lisa back together again?”

“No, I’m here to find a way to free Lisa from her promise so she can move on and be happy...whether it’s with Brick or not has to be up to her.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?”

To be continued...