The Rings

The Rings

The sun rose slowly and begin to peak through the window blinds. Its beautiful hue may have been the reason I rose but honestly it was to see if you were dead yet. A blessing that I hope for every time I wake from a dream. As I slowly opened my eyes, I could see the light hitting my prized statues on the dresser. I reclosed them because I knew that once again God had forsaken me by allowing me to wake another day. The disappointment, as usual, was palpable. I need to get my bearings these days before I move. Lately I’ve experienced dizziness and the chances of me falling and breaking a hip is high for my age. I miss the days when I could just bounce out of bed, alas that hasn’t been possible for many decades. The birds are chirping next to the window because HE decided that it would be nice for the bird feeder to be right outside our window. I can feel my mouth curling into that familiar look of disgust. I run my bony thin fingers through my thinning hair and stop as I feel some of the hair pull away in my hand. I really hate this feeling of despair that begins to build in my chest. It is so frequent with its intensity that I have to pause just to fully allow it to leave my body. Don’t let anyone tell you that growing old is graceful or enlightening. It is pain and torture.

I finally detangled my nightgown from my legs and rose out of bed. The draft of the early morning breeze coming through my room was enough to make me reach for my fluffy robe. I walked from the room as you begin to shift, I know you will wake soon and I need to make breakfast before you fully rise. Today will be a long day since it is your 93rd birthday and our sons with their families will be coming to celebrate later on this afternoon. We have 8 Grands, 16 Great Grands and 25 Great Great Grands. Our house will be so full today and I cleaned as much as I could with the weakness of this body. I think about the family you and I created as I make scrambled eggs and sausage. There is so much love created from a marriage of hatred. And it is sad that I say that but I have always felt trapped here with you. Always felt that need to leave and never had the ability to do it. And as the years turned into decades, I found myself just praying to be released anyway I could. Even death was more agreeable than this prison I am in. I hear you shuffling into the kitchen just as I plate your breakfast.

“Good morning my Love!”

“Good morning darling. And Happy Birthday!”

I watch you begin to eat at a slow pace, since you fear almost choking. I can feel my eyes sizing you up and just turned away. I must pretend to not hate you for the whole of the day even if it kills me inside. I walked slowly towards the counter where a white box sits waiting for me to notice it. It is a plain white box with some fancy looking writing on it. I move towards it and find it has a small clear plastic window that shows a cake in it.

“Darling is this the special cake you asked our son to get you?”

“Yes, my Love. He was nice enough to drop it off last night after you went to bed. It looked so great that I had him leave it in the box. Go ahead and open it.”

I removed the lid of the box to find a big Chocolate cake. The smell of it fills my nostrils and I have to say that even my mouth watered a bit. It had so many beautiful swoops and flowers on it that I just knew it could cause a diabetic heart attack. The baker must have really taken their time with this cake because it was just so delicious looking. You must have agreed because even though you had just finished eating your breakfast you asked for a slice of cake.

“Why can’t you wait to cut into this cake later, the grands and kids will be here and we can all enjoy the cake together.”

“It’s my birthday and I would like a small slice now while I can enjoy it before the grands come sticking their dirty fingers in it.”

I had to agree with you, our grands tend to put their very sticky fingers into everything. I cut you a small slice and place it on the table. I sit across from you and watch you enjoy this special cake that you wanted. I watch you lick your thin lips with a dried tongue. I watch as you lift a shaking fork full of the cake and place it in your mouth. I watch you begin to enjoy this beautiful cake for your 93rd year on this miserable planet. I watch your eyes roll into the back of your head as you savor all of its smooth tastes. You are clearly enjoying the beauty of this slice of cake. So, I turn from you because I don’t like to see the pleasure on your face. As I turned away, I don’t see your eyes spring open, or the way you stop chewing. I don’t notice how you are lowering the fork from your mouth and have begun to swell around your throat. I don’t notice as you stop breathing, and how could you when your throat is closing too fast to stop it. The fork hitting the table was the noise that pulled me from my daydreams. By the time I looked up your face was blue and swollen. I watched in shock as your head begin to fall forward onto your arm. I scrambled to get from my seat and remembering my age is the only thing that stopped me from moving as fast as I wanted to. I faintly remember yelling your name. I faintly remember shaking you and getting no response.

On your 93rd Birthday you died from an allergic reaction to a Specially ordered Chocolate Cake. A day I will remember forever. But not for the reason you may think. As I stood there, I felt my skin begin to get warm as if I also was having a reaction. I felt the ring on my finger that was the symbol of our marriage begin to heat up. It wasn’t too hot just warm. Suddenly that broke away and I felt it. Finally! After so many years I was finally free. I could feel my true form began to shift under the translucent skin that was this body. As you lay on the table, I felt my body begin to break apart. I felt the cloths that were wrapped around this frail figure begin to rip and fall to the floor. Just in time for the wings of my body to fill the room. I opened my eyes and saw the colors of this dimension. All the shifting energies and vibrant souls that filled this World was for me to see in all its glory. For the first time in many centuries, I was finally free of the curse that held me in Human form. A curse placed on me upon the first time of visiting your plane of existence. A curse placed on me by ancient Shaman or Wizards, I’m not sure what they were called back then. They sealed me in Human form until the natural death of my equal. In this time frame that means Husband. I couldn’t kill you I had to wait it out and you took so long to finally release me. I tried my wings and found them to be as strong as I remember, letting me know that they could carry me and that I could finally go home.

With a brief glance at your body, I lifted through the walls of this prison and flew. Within seconds I was in the Atmosphere flying among the clouds and stars. As I blink, I can feel myself moving with just my thoughts. I think of you as I fly past The Sun. The heat licks my form but it can not hurt me for I am eternal. I am immortal. As my body passes a Dwarf star and travel into another Galaxy, I can see what Humans will never see with their own eyes. I watch Stars explode and planets formed. I watch the whole of the Universe welcome me back into its open arms. As I move faster through the stars, I think of you. I hated you because it was for you that I was stuck in that form. But If I think of it really, I think of the good times. As the planets and creatures that you will never see zoom pass me, I think of the little kisses and beautiful flowers that you gave me. I remember the birth of our kids and the joy of our grands. I do feel sorrow that I will never see them again. I reach the end of the Universe and with a hand made of energy and light I break open the dimensions and create a tear into my Plane. I see my people. Other beings like me who are happy to finally see me return. I see the beauty of my World awaiting me and before I step in, I look back towards you. My Love. Rest in Peace. I step through and go Home.

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As his wife walked through the tear that she made into Space the husband finally sat up. His form of pure energy broke free of the Human form he was also sealed to. He looked at his hands and felt a great joy fill him. He had not known that Chocolate was his weakness. He stood from the table where the slice of cake sat and turned to open a tear into space himself. Turning to the direction that his wife disappeared he waved. My Love. Rest in Peace. He also stepped through and went Home.

No one would find the old married couple. All that was there when the family came to celebrate Grandpa’s birthday was two rings and shredded clothes. They would always wonder but would never know the truth of that day. How two entities were freed and allowed to return because of a Chocolate cake.