Healing

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Samuel and Mallory sat down on their couch in the living room, and Paul and Dina sat on the loveseat opposite them. They were all emotionally overwrought because of what had just happened that night. Samuel and Mallory felt guilt weighing heavily on them. They had only meant to work so hard to provide for their children so they could have nice things and they could all continue to live in their nice house. How had they allowed themselves to become such workaholics that they ignored their children and almost lost them both in one night? Not only had Paul considered committing suicide, but Dina had gotten into the car with him. Had Paul gone through with his plan, he and Dina both would have gone over that cliff, and Samuel and Mallory would spend the rest of their lives wishing they were still there to talk to, tuck in, and kiss goodnight.

"We never meant to neglect you guys," Samuel said, rubbing his temple. "You two mean more to us than anything in this world. You know that, right?"

Paul and Dina looked at them and at each other, clearly uncertain. And why wouldn't they be uncertain? Samuel and Mallory barely spoke to them at all when they did see them. They were either too busy or too tired.

Mallory sighed. "I guess we haven't been doing such a good job of showing how much you meant to us. We just wanted to provide for you and keep you living in this nice house and getting nice things. We worried so much about money and spent so much time working that we forgot to tell you how much we love you and how important you are to us." She looked at Samuel with tears in her eyes. "Samuel, we need to set up an appointment with our pastor immediately."

Samuel agreed. "Tomorrow is a perfect time. The sooner the better. I have his phone numbers--work, cell, and home. I'll call him tonight." He and Mallory once again hugged Paul and Dina. "We're so sorry, kids," they said. "We're going to get us all to counseling and do whatever it takes to make this a happy home again. We love you both so much."

"We love you, too, Mom and Dad," Paul said.

"Yeah, we do. We love you," Dina agreed.

Mallory looked at the clock. "It's late," she said. "It's almost ten-thirty. Why don't you go on up to bed? Dina, we'll be there in a minute to tuck you in."

"Mom, Dad, I'll tuck her in," Paul told them. "I feel bad that I scared her so much tonight when I was originally going to get in my car and drive over the cliff. I want to make it up to her." He slid his arm around Dina's shoulders.

Dina smiled and messed up Paul's dark, curly hair a little. "Thanks, big brother," she said.

Paul and Dina got up from the couch. "Do you want a piggyback ride, too?" Paul asked.

"Sure," Dina said, even though she felt she was a little old for such a thing, even though she was still quite petite for her height. She knew her brother felt bad for scaring her so much, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings by saying no. He was still very fragile, and she was afraid of what would happen if she did hurt his feelings. When Paul bent down, she climbed onto his back and held on tight. Paul carried her upstairs to her room, then sat on the bed so she could climb off his shoulders.

When Dina lay down on her bed, Paul tucked her in. "Before you go, since you already carried me upstairs and tucked me in, could you please tell me a story?" Dina asked.

"Sure, sport. What story would you like to hear?"

"Tell me about the time we went to the circus when I was five," Dina said.

"Are you sure the story won't scare you?" Paul asked. "What happened to you there was pretty scary."

"I won't be scared," Dina insisted.

"Okay, sport. Well, we went with Mom and Dad to the circus, and we found out there was a behind-the-scenes tour we could go to before the circus started. We got to look at all the animal cages, and you stuck your arm into the lions' cage. Mom, Dad, and I were freaked out and kept telling you not to, but you kept doing it, and just before the lion bit your arm, I grabbed your arm and pulled it back out of the cage just in time."

"It looks like we're even," Dina said. "You saved my life then, and I saved yours tonight." She smiled.

Paul smiled back. "Right you are, kiddo," he said. "Good night, sport. I love you."

"I love you, too, big brother," Dina said.

Paul and Dina exchanged a hug, and then Paul kissed Dina on the forehead, turned on the light, and left the room.

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