To my Short Stories

Here you will find some short stories I wrote. Some are true stories and some are not. I hope you enjoy them. The music is provided for your listening pleasure….music composed by my son Hector.

It was the year 1948 and a very cold night.  In a small and poor  home, my mother had just given birth to her 4th child. A beautiful girl, healthy and perfect in every way. As she lay in her bed , she gazed at her other children who sat at the foot of her bed and caressing the newborn. She felt happiness in her heart that God had blessed her with these beautiful, healthy children which she felt made up for the hard life she had lived up to now.  Her children were happy to see the new addition to the family. First there was Molly, the  eldest of 5 years, the protector of the rest, the one who took care of and helped with the daily cares of her younger siblings. Then there was Pete, the only son who at 4 years was as stubborn as his father yet kind and gentle as his mother. Next there was Marty, with the beautiful eyes. Eyes that could penetrate into your soul and impelled you to give in to her demands. Now there was this tiny new life, a beautiful girl, healthy, with a smile that warmed your heart,  she named Lori. As she laid there reminiscing about the past she felt a feeling of gratitude and in her silence, she thanked God for giving her such a beautiful family.

Many hours had passed, and still she laid there in her bed. Somehow she just couldn’t find the energy to get up.

She felt very fatigued, more than the usual post partum drowsiness. She blamed it on the weather, "Tomorrow I’ll feel better", she thought. That night she developed a fever. She felt even more drained, "What is the matter with me?", she asked herself. She turned to her husband and told him how she felt. He got up and summoned his mother, whom lived with them. His mother walked into the room, and knew right away what was wrong with her. "She’s got the disease!", she exclaimed. An infectious disease which women would get after a delivery. A disease which mostly took it’s victims by death. My mother laid there, unable to move. She was so drained from the fever and all she could think of were her mother in law’s words. "No!", she cried , "I cannot die!". With that she succumbed into a fainting sleep. Though she was unconscious, her mind still wondered. Memories of her past were like pictures that were beginning to fade. She saw the faces of her children, smiling at her. Tears filled her eyes. Inside she tried to find answers to her questions, "why me, why now?". But there was no response.

The hours passed and she remained in that unconscious state. Oblivious, to the world. She sensed the presence of people, she could not open her eyes to see, her eyes felt like lead. But she could hear. She heard crying which alarmed her. "Why are they crying?", she asked. "Do they think I’m dead?", She suddenly felt panic. She tried to move, blink, anything to show them she was still alive, but she couldn’t. Her body would not respond. Then suddenly, she was alone, they had left her. They had walked away, thinking she was sure to die soon.  But she wanted to live. Didn’t they understand that? Couldn’t they feel it?

Her husband and her mother in law left the house to make arrangements for her anticipated death. An old lady, who was a neighbor was there with her children. They were in the kitchen , and she could hear them. She laid there, wondering what to do. "I must say my good-byes to my children," she thought. She had surrendered to this deadly disease and did not want to leave without seeing her children one more time. She summoned all the strength she had left and in a very low and weak voice, she called the old woman . The old woman came to her side and touched her forehead, wondering how much longer my mother would be alive. My mother asked her for her children. The old woman brought her children to her and laid the newborn at her side. My mother kissed each one and blessed them all. The tears in her eyes came pouring, she asked the old woman to take the children. As she laid there, drowning in her tears, she closed her eyes and pleaded with God. "They need me, they are so young, please give me a chance to live", she prayed. As she lay there in her bed breathing her last breaths, she pleaded one more time, "Please let me live".

Then, out of the corner of the room she saw a tiny light. The light was faded at first, but as it got closer it got brighter. She could not understand where this light was coming from, since her tiny room had no windows. As the light grew nearer and brighter, she suddenly understood what it was. The bright light

ejected a ray of light towards her forehead. She felt a warmth and heavenly feeling as the light continued there.

The door to her room opened and her mother in law gasped at the sight. Then, just as fast as it had come, it was gone. My mother opened her eyes and saw her husband standing there, with eyes wide open with disbelief. She was still alive and looking up at him with eyes of a woman's love for her husband.. She asked for her children once more, but this time to hold them forever in her arms. God had answered her prayers, she would never forgive him for that.

by Mary Virgen

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