The father bit his lip and nodded. The mother continued crying. ‘And you are...?’ the father asked.
‘My name is Simon. I am a friend of Timmy’s.’
The father raised an eyebrow.
‘Well, Timmy never knew me,’ Simon said. ‘I started visiting him here after reading about his unfortunate accident.’
‘You’re very kind,’ the father said. ‘Thank you.’
‘Why is she crying?’ Simon asked.
The husband frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘What is she crying about?’
The man twisted his face. ‘Are you serious?’
Simon didn’t say anything.
‘Our son is dead, for crying out loud, man! Where’s your sense of humanity?’
‘Timmy is not dead,’ Simon said before he could stop himself from blurting out his thoughts. ‘He is merely sleeping.’
The woman looked up. Her eyes were as red as the corners of her nose. She had been crying for quite a while now. Simon could sense that she loved her son dearly.
‘Is this some kind of sick joke?’ Timmy’s father asked.
Simon shook his head. ‘It is the will of God that your son should live. For the glory of His name.’
Timmy’s father advanced toward Simon at a threatening pace. ‘Just who do you think you are to come waltzing in here and say things like this?’
‘Let the man speak,’ Timmy’s mother said.
Simon nodded his thanks at her. ‘It is not for man to question the reasons of God, but to obey His wishes.’
‘What are you talking about, man?’ Timmy’s father asked. ‘Speak English, for crying out loud!’
Simon merely stared at the man in front of him without saying anything.
‘What should we do?’ the mother’s voice finally cut through the tangible silence.
‘Pray,’ Simon answered.
‘And why should we trust you?’ Timmy’s father asked. ‘How do we know you’re not nuts? How much money do you want?’
‘I don’t seek money,’ Simon said. ‘Sometimes you have to take a chance, Rick.’
The man froze in place. He narrowed his eyes and studied Simon for a minute. ‘How did you know my name…?’
‘Sometimes you have to have faith and trust despite the overwhelming odds.’
‘How did you know my name?’ Timmy’s father asked again.
‘You’re focussing on the wrong issue, Rick. Just like your father made the wrong choice when you were eight years old.’
Rick took a step back. ‘You still could still have gotten my name from the hospital staff or the news, but no one knows about that...’
‘Pray,’ Simon said. ‘For the glory of God to be revealed.’
Timmy’s father said nothing. He covered his wife’s shaking hands in his own.
Simon walked over to the door and closed it. He then made his way back to the bed and stood at Timmy’s side. Locking his eyes with that of Timmy’s mother, Simon asked, ‘Do you believe that Timmy is only sleeping?’
She nodded.
‘We do,’ Rick Evans answered meekly.
‘Do you believe that God can raise him?’
For a moment Timmy’s parents just stood there, eyes fixed on this stranger that owed them nothing. Timmy’s mother finally managed to pull herself from Simon’s hypnotic gaze. ‘I...we want to,’ she said. ‘We really do.’
Simon smiled and leaned forward. He brought his mouth close to the boy’s ears. ‘Wake up, Tim,’ he whispered.
For a moment nothing happened and Tim’s father exhaled deeply. He knew it! Another publicity stunt! A beep on the cardio monitor made all three turn and look. The static green line had a spike, and then another, and yet another; each with its own beep.
‘What’s going on?’ Timmy’s father asked, unable to hide the tremble in his voice. ‘Is this some kind of practical joke?’
Timmy’s eyes opened and searched around the room.
Both parents cried out. They held each other before Timmy’s mother broke away from her husband and took her boy into her arms.
‘Who are you?’ Rick asked Simon. ‘And what do we owe you?’
Simon didn’t answer. He merely looked at the boy. Somehow he knew Tim was going to be okay, but he had no idea how he knew it. He was just as unprepared for what just happened as the parents were and emotions overwhelmed his senses.
‘Oh, Timmy,’ the mother sobbed and clutched her boy even tighter. ‘You’re okay.’
Timmy raised a hand to acknowledge that he was indeed all right.
The father turned his attention to his son. ‘Hey there, sport!’ Rick said. He took his son’s hand into his own and for the first time in years, he allowed his tears to flow freely. ‘Welcome back, son.’
Rick looked up to thank Simon, but the stranger was gone.
Chapter 7
‘Did you tell him?’
Rebecca looked up at Justin with a blank expression on her face. ‘Huh?’
‘Did you tell him?’ Justin insisted.
‘Tell whom what?’
‘Simon,’ he said with a slight irritation in his voice. ‘Did you tell Simon about the thing I told you about my past?’
‘What thing?’
Justin clenched his teeth. ‘Remember how I told you about my past that night we went out?’
Rebecca thought for a few seconds and then her eyes widened. ‘The abortion thing?’
‘Yes. Did you tell Simon about it?’
‘Of course not,’ she said. ‘Why on earth would I talk to someone I barely know about something so intimate?’
‘Well, if you didn’t tell him, how does Simon know about it?’
‘He knows?’
‘My question wasn’t whether he knows,’ Justin snapped. ‘It was how he knows.’
Rebecca’s defences shot up. ‘What makes you think that I would know how he knows?’
‘Because other than myself and Sandra, you’re the only other person on earth that has this information.’
Rebecca flinched as if she’d been physically struck by Justin. ‘Do you really believe that I would tell anyone about it? Is that the level of faith you have in me? Is that the level of trust?’
Justin didn’t answer. He pursed his lips together and raked his fingers through his hair.
‘Is that how well you know me, Justin?’
‘I don’t know what to believe anymore, Becky. I don’t know who to trust and what to believe.’
‘If you can’t trust me,’ she said and moved closer to him. She embraced him in her arms. ‘Then you can’t trust anyone.’
He returned the embrace. If felt so good to hold her again. He smelled her hair. Fresh shampoo. That two-in-wonder with the conditioner worked into the formula. Wild flower extract for that nostalgic smell of home. Justin was home. He was with the one person that fulfilled him in every single way. But there were too many unanswered questions; too many weird things happening. ‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘I guess I can’t trust anyone.’
Rebecca broke away from the embrace. ‘Does that include me?’
Justin didn’t answer.
‘Are you seriously implying that you can’t trust me?’
‘I don’t know who to trust anymore, and your behaviour sure isn’t making it easier for me.’
‘Without trust, there can be no relationship,’ Rebecca said. ‘I might just as well move to my parent’s place.’
‘Fine,’ Justin said. ‘Go to your parents then! It saves me the trouble of moving out.’ He walked from the room and sighed a loud Sheesh! as he slammed the door behind him. Rebecca sat there for a moment, replaying his words in her mind. A moment later she broke down and cried.
* - - - *
Simon sat on the soft grass under the massive oak tree in the park, absentmindedly eyeing the fam
ilies and friends that either picnicked nearby or just walked past, looking for just that perfect spot to unpack and spend the next few hours.
It was a good day. The leaves on the huge tree filtered the rays of the sun which made peculiar patterns on Simon’s arm.
And why should we trust you? Rick’s voice echoed in Simon’s mind. How do we know you’re not nuts? How much money do you want?
Simon sighed. He wasn’t even sure at the time that little Timmy would actually open his eyes. He merely went on faith and obedience, fighting the doubt in his mind and the butterflies that fluttered furiously in his stomach. Even with all his faith, he too was just as amazed as Timmy’s parents to see the cardio monitor beep to life.
‘Why am I like this?’ Simon whispered to the all-present Creator. ‘Why did You give me these abilities?’
The wind passed through the branches of the trees, rustling the leaves gently.
Simon looked at the book lying next to him. He figured that there was going to be no reading today. One needed a certain motivation to pick up a novel and continue from where one left off. Simon had no motivation today. His mind raced with unanswered questions and doubt. The reality of what happened still vividly haunted his thoughts.
A shriek pierced through the void of Simon’s thoughts and he looked up. The shriek was followed by the laughter of a little girl as she playfully ran away from her pursuing father. Without much effort the father scooped up the girl in his arms and whooshed her through the air much to her delight. She approved verbally with another shriek and more laughter.
Simon smiled.
Out there was a little boy called Timmy who would be able to share the same type of experiences with his father. He had been given a second chance, and Simon somehow knew that both the boy and the father would make the most of it. Simon blinked hard and wiped at the wet spot on his cheek with the back of his hand. He took a deep whiff of morning air and picked up the novel. He smiled. It seemed that today would indeed be a good day to read.
* - - - *
Rebecca clutched the telephone receiver in her hand. She pressed the first digit and hesitated before killing the line. Calling her parents proved to be the hardest thing she had done in a very long time. She replaced the receiver in its cradle and sunk back into the soft comfort zone that was the couch.
Fine! Go to your parents then! It saves me the trouble of moving out.
Justin wanted to move out? Why hadn’t he mentioned it before? Rebecca was forced to finally admit to herself that Tanya might have been right about Justin having an affair. Maybe there was someone else and he just needed an excuse. Who could it be? Someone at his work? Was she blonde? Justin’s ex was blonde. Was he secretly seeing her again? Who was that person with him in the car when he went for the interview? She buried her face in her hands and shook as the sobs escaped from her mouth. It didn’t take long before she regained her composure. She sniffed hard and wiped at her eyes.
‘Oh, Justin,’ she said and almost lost it again. ‘Why?’
Rebecca picked up the receiver again and dialled the number. A moment before it rang she slammed down the phone and dashed to the toilet where, on her knees, she threw up.
* - - - *
‘Did Rebecca talk to you about the abortion?’
Simon looked up at Justin but didn’t answer.
‘Did my wife tell you about the abortion or not?’ Justin insisted.
Simon shook his head. ‘No,’ he said. ‘She didn’t.’
Justin raked his hands through his hair and sat down on a seat across Simon. He leaned forward and with a lowered voice asked, ‘Then how on earth did you know about it?’
For a long moment Simon only stared at Justin. He slowly raised a cup and filled his mouth with bittersweet coffee. Too much sugar; not enough milk. After swallowing the coffee, Simon lowered his cup and locked eyes with Justin.
‘I don’t know how I know these things,’ he finally said and shrugged. ‘I just do.’
Justin searched Simon’s eyes for an alternative answer, but found none. ‘Then what’s the use?’ he finally asked.
‘I’m not sure I understand what you mean,’ Simon said.
‘What’s the use of having this...gift or whatever, if you don’t know how to control it?’
‘It comes when it needs to,’ Simon said. ‘If I could control it, nothing would stop me from abusing it for my own personal gain.’
‘Moral ethics would.’
‘And if I were raised by immoral parents? Or if I had immoral friends?’ Simon shook his head. ‘Do not be deceived, for bad company corrupts good character.’
‘Whatever,’ Justin huffed and stood up. He turned to leave and then paused. ‘I want you to switch it off when it comes to my private life,’ he said over his shoulder and walked off.
* - - - *
‘So you’re really considering moving out?’ Tanya asked. Normally she would have been ecstatic about the idea. She would immediately offer up her spare bedroom and would elaborate on how much fun they would have living together. Her actual reaction was more serious.
Rebecca nodded.
‘Does Justin know?’ she asked and slowed the car to a stop in the parking spot in front of Rebecca’s home.
‘He knows that I’m thinking about it,’ Rebecca said. ‘He just doesn’t know that I’m actually going to follow through with it.’
‘This is serious, isn’t it?’
Rebecca took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. ‘He’s changed,’ she said. ‘I can’t keep up with him anymore.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘It’s hard to explain,’ Rebecca said. ‘Since the miscarriage he’s been so distant. You know about the longer hours he works. It’s almost as if he doesn’t want to come home anymore. And then there’s the part where he doesn’t believe or support me about the strange happenings in the apartment.’
‘What exactly is going on in there?’
‘Nothing,’ Rebecca said. ‘You’d only think I’m crazy too.’
‘Nonsense!’ Tanya said. ‘Just because Justin is too blind to see something is going on, doesn’t mean that I am too.
Rebecca wondered if she should tell Tanya. She figured that it could do no harm to try. ‘I see things in the corner of my eye. Shapes standing there, looking at me. I see shapes outside my bathroom window. The light fixture fell down and almost crashed on my head.’ She paused for a moment. ‘You know, now that I’m saying it out loud, I can understand why Justin would think that I’m crazy.’
‘Stop talking like that!’ Tanya rebuked her friend. ‘You’re not nuts!’
‘Well, I sure sound like I am; believing in the unbelievable.’
‘If that is an indication of insanity,’ Tanya said, ‘then we are all insane.’
Rebecca looked at her friend. ‘Why? What do you mean?’
‘You remember Timmy?’
‘Little Timmy that got attacked by the dog?’
Tanya nodded. ‘Well, apparently he died the other day.’
Rebecca held her hand to her mouth. ‘Oh no…’
‘The insane part about it,’ Tanya said, ‘is that it turned out that he’s not actually dead.’
‘Wait. Is he dead or not?’
‘He’s not dead.’ Tanya said. ‘He was dead. But not anymore.’
Rebecca still didn’t understand. ‘How did he...what happened?’
‘From what I heard, the kid died. Some guy just walked into the hospital and brought the boy back to life.’
‘You’re joking, right?’
‘Nope,’ Tanya said. ‘It’s been all over the news this past week. There’s a case of fraud being investigated against the parents.’
/>
‘That’s terrible,’ Rebecca said. ‘Who was the guy?’
‘That’s the strangest part of the story,’ Tanya said. ‘The parents claim that they can’t remember his name or even remember what he looked like. That’s why they’re being investigated. According to a nurse, she saw the man every other day, but also can’t seem to remember his name or even some of his basic facial features.’
‘And little Timmy is better?’
‘Not even so much as a scar on his face,’ Tanya said. ‘And that’s exactly the point that I’m trying to make.’
‘You are?’
‘Strange and unexplainable things happen around us every single day. Just because Justin is too blind to see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. My personal opinion is that moving out might not be such a bad idea.’
Rebecca bit her lip and nodded. She knew that despite Tanya’s grudge against Justin, she spoke the truth. Moving out might just be the best option after all.
* - - - *
Justin sighed before turning the key in the lock. He was tired and just wanted to go to bed and sleep until the next morning. But he was also married and thus sleep wouldn’t come for another six or seven hours. Maybe he could convince Rebecca to join him. Maybe she was just as tired and also needed some rest.
‘That stupid bird just bit me,’ Rebecca said as he entered the apartment.
Maybe not.
‘It went ballistic for some reason and bit me.’
‘Hold on,’ Justin said and took her hand in his. He raised her hand with her index finger sticking out to about eye level and turned it slowly to estimate the damage. ‘This is deep,’ he said. ‘What happened?’
‘I don’t know,’ Rebecca said and flinched when he pressed the tip of her finger. ‘I went out to feed Lotus and he went nuts. When I tried to calm him down by gently stroking him, he bit me.’
Justin walked to the bird cage. The yellow Lovebird—mostly quite docile—flapped its wings aggressively and rammed itself against the side of the cage. Something was definitely bothering the bird. Should they worry about it? Should they take it to the vet? Would the bird eventually tire and return to normal? Justin didn’t know what to do in situations like these. He looked back at a terror-struck Rebecca and figured that he would have to attend to the bird’s needs later. ‘Come,’ he said, and taking her hand, gently guided her to the bathroom. ‘Let’s first get this cleaned up for you.’
* - - - *
Justin watched the news while Rebecca prepared dinner. As long as the dishes were done, his part of kitchen duty was fulfilled. The smell of home-made Lasagne flushed out the aroma of dirty socks and other damp smells. In the kitchen, Rebecca was softly humming to herself. An image on the television caught his attention and he turned up the volume.