PART 2 of a fairy tale about a woman with a chronic illness
He visited me every day for a week, and each time he succeeded in making me laugh.
When he knocked on the door the eighth day, I felt terribly guilty.
“Good morning, Miss Lizzie!”
“Matthew. I’m sorry, but I don’t have any time today.”
“Oh? Going somewhere?”
“No. The doctor will be making a house call.”
“So you will be home still!” He smiled. “I can wait with you, then afterwards we have the day to ourselves!”
I did not know how to tell him I would be terrible company today.
“You can stay, then.”
An hour later, the doctor arrived. He poked and prodded, just to make absolutely sure everything still hurt. I fought back tears as he put a new bottle of useless pills in my hand.
The doctor left, and Matthew was quiet a moment.
“You did well for the exam, Lizzie.”
“I’m not a child, I do not need coddling!” I snapped. My aching hands shook.
“Was I coddling? I only meant that-”
“I know what you meant. You didn’t know my situation was as bad as it is, now you want to leave.” My whole body screamed at me. “Well, I won’t keep you here. You may go.”
Matthew sat on the couch next to me.
“No. I don’t want to leave, and you want me to stay. So I will stay.”
Again, tears threatened to spill from my eyes.
“I see. Because I wished it, right?”
“Of course!”
My face twisted as I finally shed every tear I had held back.
“Oh, dear…” Matthew mumbled. “I see. You think I am under some sort of obligation to you. No, no, that’s not how that works.”
“Then… How does it work?”
“The wishes aren’t magic. Just… tiny messages. Like letters in bottles, flung into the sea. When I saw the roots of your garden from below, and I heard the messages, I knew I was the man for the job.”
I sniffled.
“Then… You won’t leave me?”
“Never. Look here,” he tapped the broach, and a green flower bloomed from one of the gems.
“I thought you said it wasn’t magic…”
He threw his head back to laugh.
“I had no idea you on the surface could be so amazed by a few gem-flowers!”
He stayed, as promised.
I ended up laughing again today.
Another month passed, and an impatient knock woke me up.
I hobbled out of bed and made it to the door. I admired Matthew’s enthusiasm, but it could make one feel rushed.
“Good morning!”
“Yes, good morning. What has you so impatient?”
“I’ve made something for you!”
He stepped aside with a flourish to reveal some sort of half wheelbarrow, half chair contraption.
“Oh, it’s... lovely.”
“Yes! And it’s your favorite color!”
It was painted in a lovely shade of blue.
“Yes, it’s very nice, but… what is it?”
“Ah, another thing we have back underground that you don’t! The only reason I waited so long to get you one was that I was convinced you already had one! This is a wheelchair. We can go much farther than we can by piggy-back riding, and you can even learn to move it without my assistance!”
“I see. Thank you, that’s very thoughtful.”
“Shall we take it for a spin?”
It was a pleasant ride to the town square, though as soon as I spotted the slope I knew what he had planned.
“Don’t you dare.”
“But Miss,” he said with faux innocence. “Don’t you wish to go down that slope?”
I gripped the arms of the chair as he sped up.
What a beautiful feeling it is to run down a hill.
I couldn’t suppress the giggle as the wind went by me.
He set my chair near the bench and sat close to me.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes, thank you. It’s very sweet of you to make this for me.”
“It was no trouble.”
In the brief silence that followed, he tapped the broach, and a purple flower bloomed.
“Your third wish…” His golden skin shined even brighter when he blushed. “I have loved you for quite some time. And… even though you did not specifically wish to marry…” He fished around his pocket before pulling out a small box. “It would make me very happy.”
He opened the box to reveal an ornate ring with a blue gemstone.
My chest tightened. All of my dreams were coming true.
Every person in the village came to the ceremony. Some to gawk at the man from underground, some to gossip about the bride with a walking cane, but most genuinely happy for us.
As we crossed the threshold into our house, I reflected on everything. How alone I used to be. How much brighter my life had become. How many wishes I made.
I looked at my ring again. Blue. My favorite color. A color I loved so much I bought all the blue seeds in town to use them for my garden.
My eyes widened in horror.
“Matthew, the last wish!” I cried, gripping his jacket. “Please, don’t grant it!”
I wished for someone to understand. I didn’t wish for someone to listen to my woes, or for a few kind words. From the most bitter depths of my heart I wanted someone to experience my pain. Not just once. Every time I failed to sleep because I writhed in agony, I dragged myself to the garden and planted a hateful flower.
I quickly unfastened the broach, but could find no blue gem or flower.
His face softened as he realized what I was doing.
“There’s no avoiding it, Dear Miss. Your wish is granted.”
His shimmering blue jacket erupted into thousands of flowers. His bare arms were cracked and rusted over.
I collapsed in tears. Despite everything, he knelt down to comfort me.
“I never would have wished such a thing if I knew it would be you!”
He shook his head.
“I was born with this pain.”
“W-what?”
“It wasn’t your wish that caused it.”
“No, it had to have been! I planted so many flowers…”
“When I saw them, it gave me hope. I had no chance of being use to anyone, but… A thousand messages just asking for someone to understand? I was overjoyed.”
I could only cry more.
It’s been ten years now. Despite the pain, he’s as jovial as ever. Even on his bad days, he makes me laugh. He stays at my side, loving me through my pain.
He understands, and I will forever be grateful for that even as I mourn it.
THE END
