REJOINING THE LIVING… (An Original Story - Part 2)

REJOINING THE LIVING… Is a story of life and death. Kindness and humanity.

INTRO:

In Part 1 of our story, we were introduced to a man (Mick), who had chose to 'check-out' of this world -- a modern day recluse, surrounded by 8 million people, in the biggest city in the world. The pain and lose was more than he could handle… So, he tucked himself away, while the world went on without him… 

We also met a woman (Grace) and her little child (Hope), who happen to be living of the streets, of the wealthiest city in the world. We do not yet know, why.., or how, they wound up there. But the meeting of this trio is very unusual -- and definitely unexpected… 

If you missed Part 1 click here to catch it.., or follow @macksby

PART 2

As this unexpected trio sit and eat, and laugh, and play… You can sense that breakfast is coming to an end… The sun is fully up and people are going about there day, enjoying this magnificent park. But it is pretty damn obvious none of them want it to -- especially the little girl. Almost a whole 3 hours had gone by -- just flew by… 

And then an awkward moment of silence... "Well, I guess -- you have to go and get on with your day…" says the woman. The little girl, immediately objects to this -- stamping her tiny foot on the freshly cut grass -- "No, no.., I don't want him to leave, Mommy…" As she does her best pout. Her mother responds -- "Hope, you know that is not how a young lady is supposed to act…" and they get into a very cute, sort of, staring contest -- until they both break out laughing… The bond between this mother and daughter was stronger than the mighty american elm they had just picnicked under.

There is no-way the man (Mick) wants to let this end, either… "Hey ladies, I was hoping the two of would come back to my place… I could really use a hand -- Im in the middle of, well sort of, redecorating and could definitely use a ladies touch…" He went on -- "I completely understand if you're not up for it, but it wouldn't take long -- and I know I could use a little more coffee.., and maybe snack, too." (And we get to see that priceless ear to ear grin the little girl possess, at will)

"MOM, MOM.., PLEASE CAN WE GO…" The little girl is bursting at the seams, as she jumps up and down, full of excitement. Her mother, on the other hand.., is somewhat hesitant… She has no idea what to do. Yes, he seems like a good guy -- but who knows, he could be a psycho-killer, or something… 

Mick senses her trepidation… As the little girl digs in on another huge piece of watermelon, Mick takes her mother by the hand… "Look, I know this is really weird -- actually, you have no idea, how really weird it actually is -- if that makes any sense…" 

And he looks directly into her eyes, for the second time, and in almost a whisper -- "I'd just like to help, in any way I can.., if that's okay with you…" "You and your daughter are in absolutely, no danger. Plus, she could probably use a good nap after a breakfast, like that -- I know I could…"

"Well, I guess it better than trying to sneak her into the bathroom at Port Authority, to get her all cleaned up…" She says, with a slight chuckle." And they share a very light hearted moment -- but a moment, none the less…

The decision has been made (YAH!)… And they all head through the park, back to Micks' apartment. Along the way, the woman (Grace) keeps trying to clean-up her appearance -- playing with her hair and tucking in her shirt… She is a little nervous. It's been, a while, since she has spent any length of time with someone around her age. She was not used to it -- out of practice.., and it scared her.

The little girl (Hope) would not let go of Micks' hand, only squeezing it tighter, the whole way. They must have been quite a sight exiting the park, on to Central Park West -- Mick with 2 huge picnic baskets in one hand and the cutest little girl you can imagine swinging from the other. 

When they got, all the way to the apartment -- I should say, brownstone. The whole brownstone. Hope looked up, and said -- "Is this your house..?" slightly intimidated, definitely in awe… "Pretty cool, huh?" he says -- and then, "C'mon, lets go …" And they head up the stairs to this truly beautiful historic brownstone. Grace (the woman) is also kind of intimidated -- I mean, this place is, really nice!

"Alright, make yourself at home, get comfy or whatever and then I'll give you two, the tour…" Grace is immediately uncomfortable and uneasy… She feels out of place -- she is still very dirty from living on the streets.., and even though she made a point of trying to keep up good hygiene for herself and her daughter.., it could be a challenging endeavor no matter how hard she tried.

Mick, has not lost his touch, at picking-up on things (moments) and he can clearly see that Grace is not comfortable, so he suggests that the 2 ladies put their stuff in the bedroom all the way in the back -- it's an amazing room… Big, super-comfy bed, another day bed, sitting area, fireplace, a little deck out back.., and best of all an amazing huge bathroom -- giant tub, steam shower… This was the room Mick shared with his wife.

The girls grab their things and rush down the long hallway.., but not before Hope motions to Mick, like she wants to whisper in his ear… he leans over to hear what she has to say -- but instead, gets a big kiss on the cheek! And then, she runs down the hallway to catch up with her mom. "Tell your mom, Im putting coffee on -- but take your time."

As he sits and sips on some coffee -- he finally takes a breathe… This has been one outrageous morning. He's not sure what to think.., and not sure if he even should… Less than 12 hours ago, he had seriously been thinking about ending it all. That walk he took, early that morning, he thought might be his last look at the city -- a city that had given him so much love, joy, happiness, sorrow.., and pain.

Something else was at play, here… Something he didn't quite understand.., but felt, instinctively -- there was some kind of bigger plan, that had been set in motion. He felt good. And that was the last thing he expected. He put a nice big mug of coffee, some cream, sugar, a little cup of juice and some cookies on a tray and headed for the back room.., but before he reached the end of the hallway, he apprehensively opened a door to the right -- it was his daughters room.., and grabs a teddy bear. 

Months after that fateful day.., he had moved most of his wife's things into this room -- it was too much, to see reminders of her, everywhere. And he rarely, if ever -- went in. But just as, going into the Plaza earlier that morning, he didn't think about it.., it was as if all that pain he had been carrying around for so long had started to dissolve away. He reached into the closet and grabbed two very pretty sun dresses -- one for Grace and the other for the little girl, Hope.

He could hear the shower and the girls laughing -- he knocked, before he entered and in the sitting area he put down the tray of goodies. Laid the dress on the bed. And sat the bear in  the chair, with a note attached -- for Hope.

He knew they were done with their shower.., when he heard Hope running down the hallway screaming -- "Is this teddy bear really for me..?" Grace, her mother.., was not far behind, wearing the beautiful (clean) sundress, sipping on her mug of coffee -- "Thank you, so much, for the bear.., and clothes -- she doesn't really have any toys -- they were all stolen from the last shelter."

He smiles..,"Im pretty sure, that's exactly where that bear belongs…" And as they both turn to look -- Hope is crashed out, completely, using the bear as her pillow. It's the cutest thing in the world. "Look, we'll get out of your hair, once she wakes up if that's okay…" Grace says, as she refills her mug.

Mick motions for Grace to follow him -- he bends down and picks up Hope and the bear.., and heads for the back room. He places Hope on the bed with her new buddy and heads out onto the deck with Grace but before they sit he runs back inside and grabs the box of cookies from the tray. He tries to speak, but the words are just not coming out right -- "Grace, you can see -- look at how much room -- I mean, what Im trying to say is… I would be honored if you and your daughter would stay here -- you would have complete privacy, it's safe -- and I could really use the company."

"I sleep in the library, down by the kitchen. It has it's own deck and -- I haven't even been back here, in this room since… " He suddenly stops talking and she can see that this man has gone through something equally as horrible as her and her daughter. 

"What happened Mick..? Do you mind me asking -- why do you live in this huge place all alone…?" As she touches the top of his hand. He lets her touch seep into his very being… It had been so long, since another human being actually touched him -- and actually meant it. Besides that, he had never spoken to anyone, besides a few useless grief counselors immediately after he found out his girls never made it out of the first tower that was hit. 

He had made a decision, that it would be better to never go there with anyone -- so he just,  checked-out. And had been living with this pain not only buried inside of him, it also hovered right above of him 24/7 for the last 15 years. He gets up and looks inside the room, to see if the young girl is still sleeping.., he lights a cigarette and then without turning to face her, he blurts out, in one breathe -- "My wife and little girl were in the north tower of the World Trade Center on Sept 11th 2001 at 8:46am -- they never made it out of the building -- there were no remains recovered…"

His whole body is shaking.., and he is trying desperately to keep it together -- but he has never spoken to anyone, in 15 years about this… And he for sure has never said, out loud.., that sentence that just came out of his mouth. Grace wanted to reach out and hold him, but knew she could not… He takes a long and deep pull from his cigarette -- "We bought this place 6 months before and were planning on gutting the whole thing -- Megan (he almost crumbles as he says her name), my wife., used to say - if I can get these first two floors done before I die, I'll be happy.

There is complete silence (as Mick is having a hard time trying not to fall apart)… "She did a great job, the place is really lovely"-- Grace says, nervously. Even tough, Mick is a complete mess, he can hear the nervousness in her voice, and sits down directly across from her -- "I'm sorry Grace, I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything.., and I didn't think I was going to get this emotional -- But you have to admit, this whole thing is pretty weird.

I mean, I went out early this morning, before the sun actually rose, to get one last look… And then, I was, pretty much,  resigned to putting an end to my so-called life (another long pull off that cigarette). Then, I nearly trip over something in the street, that happens to be you, we have breakfast in Central Park, you come back here with your beautiful daughter -- You have to admit something fucking strange is going on -- something that we are not in control of… Something bigger than all of us.., made this happen!"

Mick is on the verge of seeming somewhat freaked-out… "My husband died in the war that was started that day…" She lets slip out, without ever having planned on saying it. She grabs Micks' cigarettes and continues -- "He died in a war in a country that had absolutely nothing to do with that attack -- even though most people didn't thinks so.., so they had to invent another reason to go to war and that was BULLSHIT, too."  The more she talks, the less self-aware, she gets… And the more she reminds him of his wife.

She keeps going -- "We had a good life, a normal life… Yeah, we had our problems and when my husband couldn't find work, he joined the reserves -- not out of any kind of patriotism, or anything like that, it was just something to do -- so, he could still feel like a man (and now, it is Grace that starts to lose it, a bit). He never planned or wanted to go to ANY WAR -- he had no idea, he would be on a battlefield, while his daughter was being born." She can barely continue, as her the tears are streaming down her face, her voice beyond cracking -- "The only time he got to see his own daughter, was on a damn video call…"

She too, has kept much more than anyone can imagine bottled up inside, for far too long… And now, it all comes gushing to the surface, uncontrollably -- "He was so happy when we learned the child I was carrying was a girl -- he would say, on more than one occasion.., little girls make this world a better place." The roar emotion emanating from woman is having an effect on Mick, unlike anything he has ever experienced…

He sees, for the first time, in her -- in her eyes… All his own pain. And now, his heart is breaking, not for himself -- but for another… And, it is forcing him to feel more alive than he has ever felt. For a second, he thinks he hears the little stirring, right inside and cracks open the french doors, only to see she is still sound asleep, with her bear…

He turns back to face Grace, not knowing what to expect -- she looks, strangely relieved… As she lights up another one of his cigarettes, wiping the tears from her face. "I think we need something besides this coffee, if that's okay with you…" he says, as he slips into, what appears to be a large closet and returns with a bottle of wine and two glasses. As they, sit there, sipping there wine., trapped in their memories -- both emotionally exhausted from what just took place… They both wonder what the universe has in store for them next...

Stayed tuned for Part 3

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