Healed by the Super Power

stood on the balcony with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. She wore thick socks and a long flannel gown. A scarf was draped around her neck. The night was cool

though she wanted to see more than one st

r not, hell, she couldn't tell if he remembered anything at all. She took a long refreshing sip of her chocolate tea and sighed as she remembered Will and Susan's visit before she moved to the senior community with Ray. It would have been unfair to leave, sell t

d the phone and Sharon nodded before s

tant information f

ry in his voice covered a distance

y reunion and it had to be soon. They arrived on the weekend. For the first time since Ray was diagnosed, he was

rsion of what Margaret and Ray were going through. Whether they heard it or they saw it, their hearts were bound to break. They c

only one in it. Ray, all through the weekend, barely knew Will and Susan. Maybe he noticed the difference in the number of people in the house, Sharon was sure that he couldn't tell who they were. Her heart was

his statement to Susan who sat on the opposite side of the dining table. It wa

but she didn't care. She ached to communicate the one thing that kept bothering her, to find a solution, or maybe to get Will and Susan to support her decision to move to a senior community. "We are leaving," she said and both Wil

hey were talking at dinner or because he simply didn't want to eat the food. She carried her eyes off him, knowing sh

ere creased, her cheeks were swallowed into her bones and the rest of her face was a swollen frown.

her mouth. "I want to leave the mansion wi

up. Ray trembled and the spoon in his hand fell. Will had always been

e annoyance that felt. Susan helped Sharon tuck her father in bed and once Ray fell asleep, Susan dragged Sharon out of

to a senior community center with Dad?" Su

oyed and desperately needed to take hold of himsel

ke care of your father simulta

ed them," Will replied without breaking hi

t paid the taxes in a few months. My retirement fund is almost exhausted. The savings your father and I

fell from Sharon's eyes, soon Susan joined with bigger drops

nity house with dad?" Will said as they separated from the hug. S

It is best to let it go. We can use the money from

d smiles spread across their faces. "Do

irst arrived, Susan and Will were so thrilled about the house that they spent the first twenty-four hours checking and checking, unable to sleep. When t

lose to them forever. They tried not to allow the sadness of Ray's situation to drown the joy of the night.

rding the move to the senior community, she knew it was impossible. He couldn't comprehend enough to give her so much as a comment. Sharon could tell that

the house up for sale and it got sold faster than anyone imagined. Almost as though a lot of people had their eyes on the property, the transaction was almost tu

reduce. Sharon told the realtor to sell the mansion to whoever gave the best offer at the tim

*

e wanted to remain outside and enjoy the illumination created by the moon and balcony lights that were in the street. She wondered what might have brought an end to the m

rew her off balance. She caught herse

in a whisper, in a normal voice, or through a shout, Sharon had listened to the same voice call her for fifty years, of course, she re

mbered Sharon. During times like this, he confessed his love to her or held her in a hug so long that she ended up crying. But those times didn't last. In a matter of minutes, sometimes seconds, he completely forgot and relapsed to who he

For one, Sharon was glad that housekeeping would never be her job again. The two months she spent taking care of the

en when she was at home, she escaped it somehow. Love made her do it. The overpowering feeling she had for Ray, subd

ance a social gathering among the people in the senior community, at least twice a week, the elders come together for a grou

him to get better and for them to spend the rest of their lives in peace and enjoyment. She hated that his disease came in between them and we

her body and turned from the balcony to the door that led into the room she shared with Ray. The room was dark, except for the light f

e table in the room. She walked over to Ray and held his right hand. He flinched. Indeed, the moment he called her name was just one of those when he r

later, he was snoring. Sharon sniffed away the tears that lingered in her eyes. She bundled Ray back to the bed. His hands and legs were cold. She withdrew another duvet from the wardrobe and wrapped him so that he c

cup with hot chocolate again, she brewed some coffee. She didn't feel like sleeping. She filled her cup and strolled back to the balcony but not without taking another glance at Ray, maki

ty than she did when she was younger. The thought made her look into the

he went to their houses, and they gathered to pray for whatever they wanted to do. She particularly loved how they said 'The Grace' for every meal. Once, Sharon ev

ed. They called to their God, asking them to save their child. Naomi's mother had once told Naomi and Sharon to be good children because God always reserved the good and the best fo

hat kept Sharon attracted to her. How could someone be so calm and happy at the sam

e should have saved Naomi from dying. After the night Naomi was buried, Sharon had nothing to do with her family and church ever again. It was when she asked Naomi's m

and didn't try to stop her bad ways. She

the requests of humans, desperately wanted him to ease her pain even though she never tried to be good all her life, except to her children and those she taught in t

"I don't know how to pray, I've only learned to hope and believe that what will be will be. But please..." She clasped her hands and cast her focus on the sky, her heartbeat rate doubled a

om, dejected. She was so sure that even if a god existed, he wouldn't answer her prayer. She dropped the cup in the kitchen and cli

*

cold. Not that it was strange, she often caught a cold when the weather changed and became chilly. There were pills for when she caught a cold at home, but Don had searched the entire house to no avail.

good, he was sure about that now. Or how else was he supposed to interpret her letter and the continued silence after that? Do

run. His body ached from the lectures he had at the university and the running around he had to do because of Edith. He came to a stop at the front of the pharmacy, sighed, and took three huge steps, skipping a step up the stai

ndered if they were even stars at all or just satellites pretending to be what they were not. The race back home was shorter and Don got home in time to save littl

words she had said at the time since her mother left. Don nodded and checked her wardrobe for a thick cardigan, he wore

some pancakes. She watched him steadily when she wasn't sipping from her cup. Don's heart went out to her. Ever since Joan left, Edith seemed to have gotten worse. She asked where her mother was, and he responded

wo-year-old was more attached to her mother than her father. He tried his best to fill the void h

prepared earlier. He sat opposite her and together they ate in silence. He hoped her cold had subsided. She was no lo

from another day center. The message included a breakdown of fees needed for a person to be admitted to the center. He checked

he resumed work, it has been a hell of a ride. He was forced to take Edith with him to the office and keep her with the office secretary while he attended all his lectures. When he couldn't do

letely gone. Don couldn't be more glad. She watched him wash the plates and put the kitchen in order. When he finished, he helped her to her bedroom, tucked her in bed,

back tomorrow

the light and smiled at Edith. "Sleep tight

it the hospital, the doctor would diagnose him with insomnia. He barely slept. Even when Joan was around. His eyes opened at every discomfort, sound, or movement. He was always checking

ng room. The sky looked clearer as he peeped outside through the window. Suddenly, h

ime he had done this, he was with a devastated Joan. On that day, she lost a trial and her heart was heavy. She felt bad for the woman who would end up in jail

Her eyes beamed with confusion and her lips curled up, while her eyebrows took a questioning shape. Don ignored her body lang

r, catching her off guard. She shook

ut you?"

've seen someone do it. I think

!" Joan

istens to prayers somewhere li

'll do?" Her eyes wer

know unles

et

er and stared in awe at the sky. The two of them imitated Don's description a

found and the case was closed, but Don and Joan never prayed like that again. Jo

ssed the life he planned to live and was exhausted. Hence, he thought of doing something he thought he

hat stays together. I want Edith to be like and among her pe

ay he prayed with Joan. He hoped that there was indeed a god who listened and answered. That was all he needed. What Don didn't know was that