The mid-morning January sun was bearing down on Jemma. It was unusually warm today and her summer hat couldn't help the beads of perspiration from dripping down into the garden bed she was furiously jabbing at with a trowel.
She tried to keep her mind off things, trying not to look at the house across the street.
Why me? Why Jacob? Why not…
She put an end to her thoughts abruptly and continued raking the soil to plant Gerberas.The Buttercups were blooming and were Jacob's favorite. He and his friend Brian had planted these last spring for a school project. She ran her fingertips wistfully across each bloom as though caressing her dear boy.
Olivia had told her they would be arriving around noon. She abandoned the half dug trench, gathered the tools and walked hurriedly to the shed.
With moist eyes, she entered the cool confines of her kitchen and sat at the table, sipping an iced lemonade. It calmed her nerves.
She saw Olivia's car pulling into their driveway. Brian got out the back seat, gazing wistfully at Jemma's house. Her resolve crumbled and wild sobs racked her body.
Jacob and Brian, best buddies for fifteen years, went to the same school and class. They promised to stay through thick and thin, even signing up for organ donation campaigns held in the town. Both the mothers were aghast but in their hearts knew they had raised good boys who would one day turn out into fine gentlemen.
Everything was hunky-dory in their world until casualty struck.
A freak shootout at the school claimed many children while Brian, Jacob and a few others were rushed to intensive care with grave injuries. Tense moments later the doctor approached them and gave them the news of Jacob's passing and if they could use his heart as a transplant to save Brian's life.
Numb with grief, Jemma had signed on the dotted line…
And today, Brian was walking on his feet holding her son's precious heart. A knock on the door snapped her out of her reverie. Olivia stood with a box of honey-cinnamon buns, once a favorite of Jacob’s and Brian with his hand outstretched holding a bouquet of buttercups, eyes downcast.
The moment was frozen in time and Jemma made the first move. Hugging Brian close, she felt Jacob's heart beat inside. A steady beat which said, “Mom, I'm right here”...
Her boy lived on through his friend. With this solace and relief washing over her, she ushered them both inside for tea.
When it was time to leave, Brian stopped by the fringes of buttercups. Jacob's project had won them a prize at the gardening activity at school.
Seeing the half dug trench, and the packets of seeds lying forgotten, he rushed to the shed and returned with the trowel.
Getting down on his knees, he carefully planted the Gerbera, giving Jemma a reassuring nod.
Out of nowhere, there was a slight drizzle of summer rain and a rainbow appeared in the sky like a heavenly smile.
(Word Count : 500)
©️ Sangeetha Kamath
Pic Courtesy:Image by Petra from Pixabay
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