One Wish

Ruth lay in the bed across from her husband Greg. She could hear his labored breathing and wondered if he might be more comfortable if she slept elsewhere. Even in the advanced stages of his disease, Greg had insisted they remain together. "I want to spend every moment with you I can," he had pleaded. Ruth was more than happy to comply with this simple wish. She wished she could grant a million more wishes he had; wishes for a long life together for the two of them, wishes for strolls together through the woods, wishes of tender passionate moments between the two of them,wishes that would never be...

One lone tear escaped and found it's way down her cheek. It burned her skin as she quickly wiped it away. She had to be strong now, for Greg. She was feeling anything but strong right now. Battle worn would be a better description of how Ruth was feeling at this very moment. Cancer was stealing away her beautiful life, her beautiful companion and best friend. She should be angry, but she didn't even have the strength for that now.

For the past year, Greg's cancer had ruled all of her activities. Trips to the doctor, trips for medication, visits to alternative cancer treatment centers. They had tried it all. Nothing seemed to be working and he was getting weaker as the months passed by. Even so, she cherished every moment they could be together.

It had not always been so for the couple. Greg and Ruth had met by chance. She bumped into him while doing her holiday shopping one year fresh out of college. He helped her pick up her packages. Embarrassed, she reached down to pick them up too. Their hands touched and something magic began. She couldn't explain the way she felt for him. It was as if they had always known. She never even questioned whether or not she loved Greg. The feeling had always been there. It was that strong....

Greg had not seemed to mind that she was never able to have children. She felt guilty and so longed to be a mother. Yet, it had never seemed to come between them for all of these twenty years. She smiled as she thought of his statements she had once thought crude. Greg spoke his mind but it was never meant to hurt or insult. It was just his way. And he also had come to know and accept her own little idiosyncrasies. He never questioned why she felt she had to get up twice during the night just to make sure she had locked the door. She laughed to herself and touched his cheek. It was hot to the touch. She was so worried about him...

Ruth awakened with a start! She heard the thunder and the crack of the lightening. She threw back the covers and got up to go make sure the windows were all shut, not wanting the rain to blow in. Job completed, she was now wide awake. No point of trying to go back to sleep, it would be dawn in a few hours. The coldness of the air chilled her even through the thickness of her robe and she shivered. She was sure she had closed all the windows but it still seemed a cold breeze was coming from somewhere.

She decided to finish the packing she had been doing for the charity auction at the community shelter. She painstakingly went through all of her belongings and packed anything she felt she could part with. They were just belongings and they all felt so trivial now. Perhaps they would help someone.

The wooden floor creaked as she made her way to the trap door leading into their attic. She pulled it closed behind her and it banged shut with a loud thud. She hoped her noise had not awakened Greg. Boxes of linens, old lamps, books and clothing lined the wall of her attic. Just a few more odds and ends to go and she would have the attic cleaned out and deliver the boxes to the shelter in the morning. She reached for a candlestick, wrapped it in some newspaper, and placed it into a box. Then, in the corner, she saw an odd looking little lamp. She didn't know where she had gotten this. She didn't ever remember seeing it before.

She picked it up. It was icy cold. She dropped it. It was faded and a dull blue. It would have to be polished if anyone was going to buy this. She surely didn't want it! She picked up an old rag and begin to polish away the grime. It began to vibrate violently. Terrified, she dropped the lamp again and fell back onto the floor.

Ruth stared on in disbelief as smoke began to fill the attic. She looked up and saw a glowing figure hovering above the lamp, bright white and transparent. She was frightened...She didn't trust her voice but decided to speak. "Who are you and what do you want with me?" she whispered. Her whole body was shaking.

"You summoned me. You have one wish. Think very carefully for you can only chose one."

"You are a Genie?" This was so unreal. She had to be dreaming. "Don't I get three wishes?" she dared to ask.

"You have one wish. You must decide. It cannot be undone."

Without hesitation Ruth said, "You must make my husband's cancer go away. I want him to be well again."

"It can be granted. What you wish does not come without a price..."

"A price? What kind of price? I have no money..."

"All knowledge of you will be erased from his memory. You also will have no memory of him. It will be as though you never existed to each other. You must decide. My time is limited." The Genie looked on impatiently as he awaited her reply.

Ruth bowed her head into her hands and sobbed. No memory of Greg? He was everything to her. And so she was to him, she believed. Still, how could she deny him a chance at life? She could not. It was the only way.

"So be it," she calmly replied to the Genie.

"So be it," he replied back. "You should go to him now. When morning arrives, you will not be together."

Then, in poof of smoke he was gone. The room was still. All was quiet. There was no sign that anyone had been in the room but her. Was she losing her mind? Did a Genie just grant her a wish? She opened the attic and hurried back to her bedroom.

Greg was still asleep. Had she imagined the whole thing? She didn't know. Ruth took his hand in hers. He opened his eyes and smiled up at her. "Where were you? Checking the doors again?"

"Yes, there was a storm." She lay down beside him. "Darling, no matter what happens in the future, I want you to know, I love you. I always have and I always will."

He grasped her hand firmly. "I love you too...always!"

They fell asleep lying beside each other holding hands.

Ruth awakened to the knocking on the door. She pulled the covers back and got up. She felt groggy and her movements were labored, almost as if she had been drugged. She walked down the stairs and opened the door. It was her sister Beth.

"What are you doing here so early?" she asked sleepily.

"Early! Ruth, we are having the Christmas party at mom and dad's at noon. Let's go!"

"Party, oh, um, I haven't gotten any presents. Maybe I should stay home." She wished her sister would go away. She somehow didn't feel like company right now.

"You have to come. Get dressed! You are single and forty and turning into an old hermit!"

"I'll meet you there. I'll be there. I promise."

With a look of skepticism Beth left her sister standing in the doorway. Whatever was she going to do with this sister of hers?

Ruth reluctantly got dressed. She wasn't looking forward to this party. More harassment and questions about her love life. She got so sick of it sometimes! Still, she could not disappoint her mom and dad. She would go and stop by and pick up a few presents to take along.

She loved the quaint little craft store downtown. Everything there was beautiful and unique. There were lots of antiques. Her mom was an antique nut! She found an old vintage record player with a collection of Frank Sinatra records for her dad. He would love it!

Ruth was having a hard time finding something for her mom. It had to be something unusual, old, and unique, just like her mom! She laughed to herself. Then, she spotted it! On the corner shelf, and unusual blue lamp. It glistening and seemed to be calling out to her, "Buy me!" She picked it up and went to pay for her items at the counter.

She was running out of time. She had to hurry or she would never hear the end of it! She rushed out of the shop's door just as someone was coming in. They collided, her packages scattered on the ground. The man reached down just as she did to pick them up.

Ruth felt a shock as their hands touched. She looked up at the stranger and felt something stir inside her. He smiled. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, just my usual clumsy self," she laughed. Embarrassed, she retrieved her packages and stood up.

"Don't worry about it, I often run into strangers and drop my packages!" he laughed.

She felt her face turn red. "Well, thanks again." For some reason she was reluctant to leave his presence. That was crazy! She had never seen this man before in her life. "I have to run now! Late as usual." She got in her car, smiled and waved goodbye.

Ruth could not shake the thoughts of this charming man she had managed to collide into as she turned down the road going to her parent's house. Then, she dismissed it. It was just a coincidence, just two people who happened to bump into each other shopping. She was sure she would never again see this stranger with the disarming smile.