Satisfaction

No matter how many wishes I have granted to humans, none of them were satisfied, as they become even greedier. The moon is an orris-silver disc hanging in the lonely sky, just like me. It glows beautifully on the outside but hides its painful tears on the inside, as it feels empty. I have been watching the humans on this Earth for a long time, believing that there might be at least one human who can change my fate. But in return, I only lost count of my age.

**

"Jacqueline, we will have a client visiting us this afternoon," informed Madison, assistant of Jacqueline. Madison is a helper sent by god for Jacqueline to assist her on the Earth. Her clear red eyes always speak the truth.

"Further details??" asked Jacqueline. Madison served Jacqueline a cup of coffee, as Jacqueline can't start the day without coffee.

"The client's name is Simon. His mom is in critical condition. She has Glioblastoma, a brain cancer. It is in stage four, so she can last for only three months," elaborated Madison.

"What about surgeries??" asked Jacqueline after taking a sip of her coffee.

"The percentage of survival is low, so Simon is afraid the surgery won't go well," answered Madison.

"You know I can't save her life, right??" asked Jacqueline to confirm.

"He only wants the surgery to go well. He begged me," replied Madison.

"I am not sure about this human...." continued Jacqueline.

(In the afternoon)

"Hi. Ms.Madison" bowed Simon.

"Mr.Simon, you may enter the room at the end of the hallway," assisted Madison.

When Simon entered the room, he saw books floating and twinkling stars flying over the room. He sat on the chair while waiting for Jacqueline.

"Good afternoon, Ms.Jacqueline," said Simon.

Jacqueline sat on the chair facing Simon and asked, "Are you sure about your wish?".

"Yes," answered Simon with a deep breath.

"I want to make one thing clear before we start. Your mother's life is not in my hands. I can only make sure the surgery goes well," confirmed Jacqueline.

"I....am f..fi...fine with i...t," shuttered Simon.

Jacqueline wrote the name of Simon and placed it on her palm. She closed it and held her fist tightly. The room turned entirely black when Jacqueline snapped her fingers.

"Mr.Simon, what is the wish that will satisfy your heart and leave no regrets?" asked Jacqueline.

"I w...want my m...mother's s...surgery t...o go well," replied Simon with a shivering voice.

Everything stops while Jacqueline uttered the word granted. In a trice, Simon found himself in his mother's ward. Doctors rushed into the room and rolled his mother to the surgery room. A few hours later, the doctor came out of the room and said happily, "The operation was a success, Mr.Simon. You can see your mother in two hours.". Simon was happy but wasn't satisfied, as something was about to happen. When Simon visited his mother after two hours, he saw his mother dead. The doctors rushed to the ward and did CPR, but she had already passed away.

The doctors then said, "I am sorry, Mr.Simon. The operation was a 100% success. The success itself was a big shock. Her heart rate was perfect till now. We didn't expect this would happen. I am sorry, Mr.Simon.".

Simon took his car and drove to Jacqueline's house. He barged at the door and grabbed Jacquelines's collar. Madison tried to stop Simon, but she couldn't. 

"You didn't keep your promise. You lied to me," raged Simon.

"Humans.....they are never satisfied," said Jacqueline.

"What??? Do you think you have helped me and made me satisfied?" questioned Simon.

"No. I never expected anything from you. You, humans, are all the same...." said Jacqueline while pushing Simon away. She snapped her finger twice. Once, to send back Simon to the place he is supposed to be and the second to erase Simon's memories.

"Uhh...I am tired," said Jacqueline with a sigh while helping Madison to get up.

"I am sorry..." said Madison.

"Don't be......he is the 82nd person. Eighteen more to go," said Jacqueline while holding up her tears. She tried to act strong, as usual. When Jacqueline reached her room upstairs, tears eventually started to drop. She cried, "Why do humans never get satisfied? I am tired of this. I can't do this anymore. That ingredient is the only way to make me a human. IS THERE NO OTHER WAY?" asked Jacqueline. She cried and cried. 

Madison then entered the room and said, "Don't worry. You will become a human". She hugged Jacqueline to comfort her.

Jacqueline pushed Madison away and ran out of her room. Madison followed her, trying to stop her, but Jacqueline screamed, "Don't follow me. I have given up. I am not going to grant any more wishes......". Her purple eyes turned to autumn-colored as her mood changed.

"Wishes....you can grant wishes??" said a gentle voice hiding behind the main door.

"Why in the world is the main door open?" asked Jacqueline.

"I forgot...." said Madison.

A bright blue-eyed girl with blonde hair came out from behind the back door. She asked, "Can you grant wishes? Is it true?"

"Kids.....yes, I do grant wishes, but not anymore," replied Jacqueline bluntly.

"I just wanted to ask you one. Can you grant me a wish?" asked the blue-eyed girl with a pitiful face.

"You want me to grant you a wish? You would become even greedier if I grant your wish," replied Jacqueline.

"Jacqueline. She is just a kid," said Madison.

"So what? Humans are always the same. Also, we haven't tried kids, so we should stick towards it. Kids are complicated," said Jacqueline.

"Maybe we should give it a try. Who knows? She doesn't know the world yet, so her wish might be something that she can be satisfied with," explained Madison.

"Please.....will you please grant me a wish?" asked the pitiful voice again.

"What is your name, sweetheart?" asked Madison.

"Penelope," replied the soft voice.

"What is your wish, Penelope?" asked Madison.

"Stop. What are you doing?" asked Jacqueline.

"My wish...." muffled Penelope.

Madison nodded her head and came closer to Penelope.

"I want a family. I want a mother who cares for me and cooks me delicious food and a father who loves me and picks me up from school. I also want a brother with who I can fight and share things," replied Penelope.

"Don't you have a family? Like, everyone does," asked Jacqueline.

"I don't. I live in an orphanage. I don't know who my mother is, or my father is," murmured the 7-year old girl.

"Jacqueline, it is not good to ask such questions," said Madison. She came closer to Penelope and hugged her. Madison said, "It is alright,"

"Everybody has a place called home. People who love them are called family. But I don't. No one waits for me at the school gate after school to pick me up. No one cooks for me with love and reads me bedtime stories. I have no one," cried Penelope.

Jacqueline thought this girl faced more than what I have. But, still, she didn't give up on her life.

"Jacqueline, grant her this wish," begged Madison.

"I....." continued Jacqueline.

"You can give up on becoming a human after this wish," said Maison.

"Alright," nodded Jacqueline. Penelope ran towards Jacqueline and hugged her tight. She whispered to Jacqueline's ear, "Thank you,"

Both of them entered the room that was at the end of the hallway. Jacqueline took a deep breath. Jacqueline then wrote the name of Penelope and placed it on her palm. She closed it and held her fist tightly as usual. The room turned entirely black when Jacqueline snapped her fingers.

"Penelope, what is the wish that will satisfy your heart?" asked Jacqueline.

"I want a happy family," replied Penelope with no shutter in her sentence.

When Jacqueline grants it, Penelope finds herself in a house. She sees a mother cooking, a brother running and a father getting ready for work.

"Sister, can you help me solve this problem?" asked her brother, Ryan.

"Ryan and Penelope....food is ready. Honey, I packed the food for you. You can have it later," said Penelope's mother. Penelope cried out of joy. She then remembered Jacqueline.

"She won't come," said Jacqueline.

"Have patience....." replied Madison. 

"Ms.Jacqueline...Jacqueline" said a familiar voice. 

"She is here," replied Madison with an excited voice. 

"Ms. Jacqueline," said Penelope while running out of breath. She ran towards Jaqueline and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you," thanked Penelope while crying in Jaqueline's arms.

"I am satisfied," said Penelope. For the first time in Jacqueline's life, she heard the word satisfied from a human. When Penelope uttered the word 'satisfied'..... the satisfaction turned into the ingredient. It came out from the heart of Penelope and was floating in the air, in front of Jacqueline. 

"Finally!!" said Madison happily. Tears welled from deep inside and coursed down Jacqueline's cheeks. She happily took the ingredient and had it. 

As soon as she had the ingredient, everything started to float in the air, and Jacqueline fainted.

"Jacqueline.....Jacqueline" called Madison. Penelope returned to her house, as it was the place she was supposed to be.

When Jaqueline woke up, she found herself in her bed. Just then, Madison entered the room with a bowl of soup.

"Ahhh.....what is this feeling?" asked Jacqueline.

"Tiredness......" replied Madison.

"What??? Only humans can feel that...." responded Jacqueline.

"Wait a minute....did I...." continued Jacqueline.

"Yes. You have finally achieved your goal," answered Madison with a smiling face. 

**

On that day, the moon realized that it wasn't lonely anymore. Seeing the twinkling stars around it made it happy, and it glowed without emptiness inside it.