What's Lost Is Learned

What's Lost Is Learned

Posted by Ellen M. DuBois on Sunday March 25, @01:02PM

A work of fiction that I felt compelled to write. "Why am I here? What is this place?"

She sat in what seemed to be a chair, although something felt different. Her body felt different and she didn't know the stranger in front of her.

"Just watch. You're fine."

"Watch what? Who are you?"

"Please, just relax. You'll be okay. No one is here to hurt you."

"No one? I don't see anyone else."

"They're here. Please, quiet yourself. You'll understand everything soon."

The projection like image flashed before her and she saw herself as a baby on the screen.

"Wait! What is this?" She began trembling.

"It's your life."

"My life? What do you mean my life? I have a life!"

"Yes, you do, but it's different now. Just watch."

He placed a hand on her shoulder and calmness swept through her like a soft breeze.

She watched the 'movie'-- seeing herself grow, her family, her choices. Mistakes she'd made stood out like black on white. Things she'd never seen before. She was so busy.

Wasn't that her son? Why was he alone in his room crying? What was she doing at the office? He needed her. So driven. Driven to the point where all that mattered was her career at the firm.

A tear made its way down her luminescent cheek.

She felt the presence of others around her, comforting her, but couldn't see them.

Her divorce. Oh God, her husband looked distraught. He said she no longer cared, that her work was her love.

It wasn't! She wanted to scream but couldn't. It wasn't her love. She had to do it! She didn't go to school for nothing! She wasn't going to waste her life, her education, her abilities.

He was gone and she didn't fight to keep him. She couldn't.

Or, she wouldn't.

Her son was asking her a question about his homework.

"Mommy doesn't have time right now. I'll get to that later."

Later never came. He went to Daddy.

She was so driven. So driven that she didn't slow down that night in her hurry to get to a meeting.

So driven until she drove herself right into that wall.

Here she sat, wondering why. Why she didn't see what meant something. It hurt.

"God, I can't believe I didn't see. Why didn't I see? I love my baby. He needs me. Oh, no."

The sound of monitors filled her ears. Her eyes flew open and she found herself staring into the blinding brightness of a light above her head.

"Mrs. Davis, you're going to be fine."

He was a blur. Who was he? Where was she?

"We almost lost you, but we were lucky. You were in a terrible accident, but you're going to make it."

I'm here! I'm alive!

Her eyes rained and she wearily asked the doctor, "Where's my son?"