Feeling more comfortable now that Bob was regaining some feeling in his hand Toni was able to concentrate on her job as CEO. Putting in extra hours didn't bother her because in doing so she was able to spend more time at Memorial Hospital with Bob. On her last visit Toni reached for Bob's hand and began her usual routine by squeezing gently and then focusing on his eyes to see if he was aware of her presence. To her surprise Bob was able to close his hand with an effort surely felt by Toni. She tried to hold in her feelings, but couldn't prevent the tears from streaming down her cheeks.
“Bob, you’re getting better, and aware of my presence. I’m so happy. Would you try to talk to me? There are so many things we need to talk about and I don't want to do it alone.”
There was a deliberate hesitation as Toni waited to see if Bob would respond. She looked him dead in the eyes and could see his focus on her. He seemed a little distant, but his eyes began to focus, and when they stabilized, he blinked as if to tell Toni that he was conscious and aware of what was going on.
“I’m here,” Bob uttered. “I can see you and it gives me strength.”
Once again her eyes swelled with tears, but she quickly dried them away. She wanted to be alert to what he might say. She needed to remain in command of her thoughts and emotions.
“Do you know where you are?”
“Hospital!”
“Do you know how you got here?”
There was fear exhibited in Bob's expression and his grip tightened around Toni's hand. He held on and just stared into space as if recalling something out of the past. Something in his memory he wished wasn't there.“Mapita! It was Mapita!”
Rage flared up in Toni's face as she tried to comprehend the meaning of Bob's accusation. Not understanding what role Mapita could possibly have in Bob's accident she didn't quite know how to approach his statement.
“Mapita? You know you are in Texas and Mapita is in Florida. Why do you keep repeating her name? You have called it out many times.”
The swelling welling up in Bob’s eyes showed he was concerned for Toni and Tessie, for he not only had this strong feeling of what had happened, he could see the script playing out in his mind over and over again; he just needed to try to get it out so that Toni would understand.
“Mapita put a curse on me and wished me to crash my car. I had the wheel firmly when she made me turn off the shoulder and took over my hands and arms. I couldn't fight because I had no control. The wheel just turned. I saw the car and I couldn't stop. She tried to kill me.”
“I’ve hated her since the day we met her, and always had a feeling she was evil, but we were so desperate for answers we made ourselves vulnerable to her power. Working her evil magic on us she never in truth wanted to help us -only to rob us of everything and anything we had. Now I want to put a curse on her. That's the way I feel right now because she could have killed you Darling. It was only a miracle you got out of that accident alive, and I hope she knows that, and knows I will not sleep until she gets what she has coming to her; I promise.”
Knowing Toni was justified in feeling the way she did, Bob tried to reassure her in stuttered phrases that he would make a great effort to overcome his injuries so that he, along with Tessie and Toni, could bring her down.
Tessie and Dennis weren’t mentioned so Bob didn't know that Dennis was trying to coax Tessie into relating whether or not she had been to Miami and if so was it for pleasure. Tessie tried to avoid the inquiry and retorted back that she had been to Florida but said nothing else.
“Tessie told me a story about her new friend. I want so badly to tell you all about it and I promise I will on our next visit, but for now I would like for you to allow me to hold your hand and tell you a pleasant story about us. This story will make you happy and will make you relax so that you can further restore your energy, because the next story will make you want to jump out of this bed.” With those words Toni began her story, as pleasant and relaxing as her skills would allow, for she was not in the best condition either after hearing what Bob had to say. She fought back her emotions and followed through in such a way as to make anyone proud. When Bob was relaxed and in a sleep-like state she arose, bent over and kissed him on the forehead, and wished him a good night. She walked to the door, exited and vanished into the night back to her home.
Bob opened his eyes to only see darkness and realized it was still night time. The dream he was having and still remembered made him realize that a good spirit was trying to enlighten him on something of value; perhaps his mother or his father, or even his grandfather. He didn’t know, but he needed to repeat some of the words in his dream so he wouldn’t forget the significance of its message. Most people don’t think about the way the sun surrounds them with light or warmth because they go along their busy day never thinking about what would happen if it should stop shining. People rarely notice the creatures of the earth running around in and out of crevices, fences, cracks in walls; merging, running, retreating in their quiet places within the inky corners of a forest or house never separating their experiences from themselves. Most people feel comfortable or don’t with who or what they are. People are different than those creatures and envy them – people are more complex with a higher form of life for which it was meant in creation, but nevertheless they still covet the simplicity of animals or even the tiniest little crawling bugs that live their lives so much more uncomplicated. Bob pondered on the message and wondered if animals or creatures think like humans, capable of real happiness or do they just plod along in a mechanical manner?” Not important. What’s more important is whether we live up to our higher level of life. We get so caught up in being envious or angry about trivial things when in reality we could be using what we were created to do which is to benefit all of mankind instead of our individual selfish selves. He turned his face closer to his pillow and started remembering the dream again and the words he repeated to himself once again. Most people don’t even notice the moment, much less to appreciate all that they have; stars, sun, moon or the dazzling heavenly beauty around. Bob thought, No…dream you’re right because we’re always in pursuit of something more…something like…what we have is never enough. He tried scooting over to the bedside table to grab a pen and tablet, but instead in his weariness and paralysis it left him unable to move so he decided to repeat the words until he painted them in his mind, never to forget. Most of the time people just dismiss the beauty of life and complain about different things that don’t fit into what they believe. In fact, most live their life by what others say and believe instead of taking time to think for themselves and view life as they see it; as their conscious spirit sees it – their soul. They want to belong to a group or something so they become robotic instead. Bob reflected on what his mother had shared with him many years ago, ‘when someone belongs to a certain political party they stop seeking or searching for truth or the reality of the situation. They lock that door and themselves away within the walls of echo.’ It was almost morning before Bob started feeling his eye lids getting heavy so he closed them into a wonderful deep peaceful sleep. He no longer had nightmares, he felt the presences of his mind resting in peace with the message he had in his dream. He had wondered as he dozed off and dropped into his deep sleep whether it was an angel trying to get him to view things differently rather than revenge to those that had caused him suffering He knew he wanted to get even for what fate and evilness had meted out to him, but his mind couldn’t rationalize a proper response just yet, but perhaps in the near future he would have his answer. Should he forgive them? Be happy that he made it though his horrible accident and let anger go. Should he alert Toni to this thought or dream? He just didn’t know the answer to all his questions yet so he drifted into sleep letting it all go.