Ben released a deep sigh in frustration. If what they said was the truth, then where he was hiding for the last twenty-four months?...of course...what they were saying to him was true because they would not create a lie, it wouldn"t make any sense at all. Where did he go all these days, weeks, months and years? Everything was confusing for him. He has no recollection of the things that he did during his disappearance. Why he can"t remember a d.a.m.n thing!?"My head hurts, I can"t think of what I have done after I disappeared. I usually go home at this hour after my work as a guard of that jewelry store, nothing unusual with my day. So, this mystery about me goes missing for two years is the most bizarre thing I"d ever encounter in my whole life," he said scratching his head in bewilderment.
Arlene placed her hand on his forehead. "Then stop thinking about it, what is important for us now is that you"ve finally come back to us, the rest doesn"t matter anymore," she said.
Ben looked at his wife. "How about you, wifey? How"s your illness?" he asked her worriedly.
"Last month we went to visit a doctor, my cancer has now spread to my brain and the pain doubled, I"m in constant pain, if not for painkillers, I will be screaming in agony every minute of the day," Arlene said, this time with no more emotion left on her face. "I just want to die, hubby! Living in this world and waking up every day is like h.e.l.l to me, my body is physically tortured every day with ma.s.sive pain engulfing my whole body...sometimes I just wish I never wake up in the morning and I just want to continue sleeping forever. I"m so f.u.c.king tired! I wanted to sleep for a long time," Arlene said firmly.
"Wife, please don"t say that...our family will be sad if you will be gone from this world. Please don"t lose hope...G.o.d will hear our prayers one day," he said optimistically.
Fresh tears escaped from Arlene"s eyes. "I"m sorry, hubby. I don"t want a long life that is riddled with bone crashing pain every day. It"s more than I can take. I pray to G.o.d every day that he will finally bring an end to my useless body and my useless life," her voice broke and she sobbed hysterically in his arms.
Ben hugged his wife tightly, feeling tormented inside. He can not even do anything to help his wife. He felt like he was a useless husband.
After a few minutes of crying, Arlene wiped the tears from her eyes. "When I"m gone, please take care of our children, raise them well. They are our only treasure in life. I prayed to G.o.d that they will be healthy always and not inherit my illness. I hope G.o.d will hear my prayers for our daughters" wellness," she said.
Ben planted a kiss on his wife"s lips and rubbed her back trying to soothe her.
Arlene looked into his eyes thoughtfully. "When I"m gone and you meet a nice woman that is kind to our kids, marry her after two years of my death. I want you to marry again and not spend the rest of your life living alone. You need a wife to warm your bed, take care of our children and a companion that you can talk to any time of the day. My illness affected our marriage badly. How I wish I"m healthy and not like this..." Arlene stared at her frail-looking hands. Her image changed drastically when she had cancer. Every time she looked into the mirror she saw a pitiful stranger staring back at her. Her illness ravaged not only her body but also affected her emotionally and physiologically in a bad way. It damaged her self esteem and her self worth. No matter how hard she tries to think positively and wake up daily with optimism engraved in her heart, still, it"s hard to pretend that she is managing her pain well and feeling okay. She gave up trying long ago...she just wanted to die as soon as possible to get rid of the pain she was feeling all over her body.
"Wife, I"m so sorry that there is nothing I can do to lessen your pain. I feel so helpless, I can not even afford and continue your medication and your chemotherapy. I felt so d.a.m.n useless and helpless!" he said, wallowing in self-pity and self-loathing.
Arlene caresses her husband"s face adoringly. "Shh...please stop blaming yourself, hubby! It"s not your fault. I"m just unlucky that I was struck with breast cancer. n.o.body wants this kind of illness, it"s a curse! I hope and pray to G.o.d that n.o.body will be stuck with this kind of illness after I die. I pray to G.o.d that I would be the last victim because I don"t want to see more women suffering this horrible illness again. It can destroy anybody"s life!" she said agonizingly. The pain and suffering were etched on her fragile gaunt looking face.
A few minutes of silence descended upon them.
Arlene looked at her husband. "I"m feeling tired and sleepy...I want to sleep, hubby. Wrapped your arms around me, I want to feel your warmth "coz tonight might be the last time we will see each other again. When I rise to heaven I want to remember how much you love and care for me. It"s the kind of memories that I wanted to bring with me when I will rise to heaven one day," she spoke to him lovingly.
"I love you so much, wife!" Ben said in a quivering voice, his heart was breaking inside.
"I Love you too, hubby!" Arlene bit her lower lip. She closed her eyes and reminiscence of their happy moments together when the illness hasn"t touched her body yet and reduced her into a living sh.e.l.l of what she used to be, those were the happy times. "Good night, hubby," she murmured.
One hour later.
Arlene"s labored breathing signaled that she was already asleep. While Ben was still looking at his wife"s face with tenderness embedded in the depths of his eyes.
"Sleep well, wife," he spoke softly into her ears.
...
Jessy blinked twice. She was on the verge of crying, listening to the couple"s sincere conversation was heartbreaking. This couple has endured a lot of difficult times together, it"s about time to give them a break so that they can both heal internally, separately.
For tonight she will play G.o.d and put the crucial decision in her hands. She just hoped that G.o.d won"t get angry at her.
The truth is...Life is good to a few but is cruel to the majority who are living an unfortunate condition every day.
She just wished that everyone who was suffering physical, emotional and psychological pain will finally able to live a pain-free life one day.
Tonight, she will fulfill Arlene"s wish and that is to send her to eternal rest.
The moment has finally arrived.
Waving her hand, she puts Ben and Arlene into a frozen estate. She locked the door inside, then walked towards Arlene"s side.
Jessy placed her palm gently on Arlene"s face blocking her nose and mouth... preventing the air from entering her body.
One hour later.
Arlene"s life on earth finally ended... as if she was just sleeping...she got that smile of contentment on her face as if she pa.s.sed away heading straight into paradise.
"Bye Arlene, rest in peace, you finally got your wish," Jessy uttered her goodbye to the dead woman. She took the pouch filled with gold nuggets from the inside of her sling bag and put it inside Arlene"s right hand.
"Bye Ben, I"m sorry you come back home to this sad ending but after your wife"s death, you will embark on a new stage of your life together with your family. You will move on, everyone moves on. Death of a loved one is just a sad tragic part of life here on earth. Everyone dies at some point in time. But for now, you have to continue living because you have children that need your care. You will survive on your own..." she said and waves her hand unfreezing the couple in the process.
She looked at the couple one last time and turned around.
It"s now time to go back home.
Jessy initiated the teleportation in her mind, a few minutes later she landed on her bed inside the Facility.
Time to rest and sleep "coz tomorrow is another day.