You don’t know everything, Mommy. I do !

“Mom look! A shooting star!” exclaimed young Ben, standing at the edge of the cliff.

“Well, did you make your wish honey?” replied Nadia, trying her best to smile. It felt hard but she had to, the boy needed it.

Things had been rough for her lately. The regular hospital visits, her tiring work together with the weekly money collection drives had left her completely exhausted. With her health deteriorating intensely, it wasn’t easy to juggle all of this anymore. Julie had been a big support but after all, she was young.

Nadia was trying her best, but deep down she knew it would not work. The doctors had given up on her. Every one was certain she would not make it. How could she? It was so risky and way past the recovery stage. It was nearly the end. She needed the heart transplant real soon.

Her little 5 year old was still shielded from this heart-breaking truth and he stood in front of her, with a sparkle in his eyes making his sweet little wish.

Nadia tried to smile one more time. She couldn’t hold her tears back. What was going to happen to her boy? Where would he go? Julie had decided to take him in but without his parents, his poor innocent heart would shatter into millions of pieces. Nadia tried her best to shrug those thoughts away. Let him at least enjoy these few moments he has left with her. He needed the memories.

“So what are you gonna wish for sweetheart? Hmmm….lets see? Candy? Oh wait! Your favorite Spider-man costume! I am right, ain’t I?”, Nadia said, lifting her little boy off his feet.

“You don’t know everything, Mommy. I do!”, Ben replied with a cute little smirk.

Nadia genuinely smiled this time. How her little angel thought he knows more than a 30 year old. Kids these days!

“Well do you know? The legend says, you don’t see another shooting star until your previous wish is fulfilled. Let’s see if this is true. Anyways, let us go home dear. Remember mommy has to go to work tomorrow.” and with that Nadia carried her love back to their little home.

The week went on. The same donation drives. The same money collections.

It was tough. Really tough. Nadia could have never imagined that a day would come where her charity would be collecting money ‘for her’. The women who spent her life living for others would find herself asking for help, with no one by her side. The women who sheltered and fostered hundreds of children in her foster homes would have to leave her little boy at home, all alone so that she could go and earn bread. However, that is fate. She knew.

It was Thursday. Two days were left. This was the final visit to the hospital where she took Ben with her. The next time, it would be only her. It had to be. She couldn’t leave her boy in a waiting room while she fought death. What if she didn’t make it? Where will he go?

Ben stood in the hallway waiting for his mom to walk out of the office. He sat on the black wooden bench, the same spot he sat for 3 months. He tried to take a peek into the office, like he took that day about a month ago, but he didn’t go through with it. He knew what he needed to know. He wasn’t curious. He pictured his mother in bed with all those wire thingies that he never really understood. He shivered.

The clock struck 9 as Nadia walked out of the office carrying her files. Ben was fast asleep, curled up in the corner of the bench. “Oh my poor boy, hope you have a great future”, prayed Nadia as she slowly picked him up, trying not to wake him. “This is it, love. This is how the universe decided it to go” and she walked away.

18^th of July, the calendar marker showed. Ben glanced at the clock. It was 2 pm. He walked out to the balcony and sat in his little chair quietly. Julie, a 17 year old babysitter, had told him his mom would be staying at work for a couple of days , although he didn’t really needed to know.

Nadia heart rate was dropping fast. The atmosphere is the ICU was tense. The nurses spoke no words. Everyone was trying, doing all they could do.

Ben got up to his feet. He was not feeling good. Something was wrong. He could sense it. He decided to give himself a break. He climbed in his bed and dozed off.

A little dove was sitting on the balcony outside when Ben woke up. The clock was striking 9 pm. Julie must have decided not to wake him. Ben loved doves. There beautiful white coats of feather were a catchy sight for the little boy. He jumped out and tried not to scare the creature away as he tip-toed out to get a closer look.

The sky was mystical. Thousands of beautiful bright stars showing their utmost beauty.The quiet peace-loving creature seemed to be contented, sitting on the edge of the table. As Ben got near the chair by the table, Julie walked into the room calling out to him.

“Hey kiddo! Mommy says she wants to talk to you.”, Julie said with joyful tears. She looked at the little boy with satisfaction. She knew the unbelievable had happened. She glanced at the tiny dove and smiled. The universe had decided to bring peace to the house again. “ Come downstairs honey. I will call her back in 15 min.”

Ben smiled and started to walk back into the room. However, he stopped. Something just crossed his mind. He instantly turned around and looked up to the sky and there it was! A bright shooting star! He knew it. He just knew it. He smiled the most radiant smiles ever.

“You didn’t know everything, Mommy. I did.”, he said.