Henry Harrison has fallen again. Fortunately, it wasn’t like his first fall that shattered his hip and ended him on the road toward nursing care. He had weathered that battle well. This time was different. As he sat on the edge of his bed with nothing particularly interesting to daydream about, a woman walked past his room and glanced in with a smile. She was older, about Henry’s age he supposed. It was not uncommon for people to walk past, but not like this. Henry was smitten.
He walked over toward the door to take a quick peek, and to his surprise, the woman was stopped, looking back at his door. She noticed him watching and walked up to say Hello. Glancing at the name tag on the door she spoke, “Hello…. Henry.” The woman wasn’t like the staff, not like the doctors or other visitors that filed through every day. He felt an immediate bond, like a leap in the heart, as if it nearly stopped beating. She continued in a smooth angelic tone, “I’m Kathryn.”
Henry was beside himself. He thought to himself, “I better pinch myself and make sure this isn’t an angel coming to take me to glory!” He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so many muscles in his face from smiling. A nurse walked by and smiled a sneaky grin, patting the woman on the shoulder and whispering, “Looks like Henry fell again.”
Kathryn just smiled. She thought Henry’s expression and reaction to her was the most special compliment. So, she invited herself in. They talked about so many things. Henry was full of questions and Kathryn was kind and answered everyone that she could. Then Henry glanced at the clock and realized he had been speaking to Kathryn for three hours. He was worried, perhaps she would be in trouble with someone who expected her home. He politely excused her and paid her a compliment on her hair.He had fallen, but if you were to have seen Kathryn, you may have said the same thing about her. She was fixed on his words and expressions.
Henry put her hand between his and told her how honored he was for her time. She smiled and did something Henry would never have dreamed. She leaned in and gave him a soft and sweet kiss on the cheek. He was in Heaven.
Henry went back toward his bed but continued around so he could peer through the curtain and perhaps steal one more glance. As Kathryn walked out the door, the nurse smiled at her and grabbed her hand in a greeting. “It’s a beautiful thing Ms. Kathryn, your husband has been here for 4 years, and he still falls in love with you every day!” She beamed. Though the disease that ravaged Henry’s mind made each visit his first time meeting Kathryn, his heart never strayed for a moment. As she walked, she glanced over her shoulder to see the love of her life waving and content. Henry fell again the next day and the day after that.
Copyright 2010, Jimmy Sadler