A Mother's
Plea
The prayer of every parent, spouse, sibling, and relative of a law enforcement officer every where. Please keep him safe. Let him return home at the end of the day unharmed in body, mind, and spirit. This story came to me in the wee hours this morning when I couldn't sleep. I started thinking about my nephew who is getting ready to going into law enforcement. This is what came out of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She sat in the bleachers half hidden in the shadows cast by the enormous shade trees. She was a small woman, one who could easily be overlooked, especially to the men and women practicing on the obstacle course.
She was quivering with anxiety. This was her fault. Her son, her precious son was living a life filled with violence and it was all her fault. If only she….
He used to laugh, all the time. He used to smile so bright that it lit up his eyes and coaxed smiles out of everyone around him. He used to give hugs. Wonderful hugs that made me feel on top of the world.
And now…
Here he comes back around this side of the track. Look at him. His hair is so short. His eyes are so grim and so full of pain.
This is my fault. Her moan sounded like leaves rustling in the breeze. Suddenly, she wasn't alone anymore.
The space next to her was now occupied by a large, black and grey wolf. She sniffed back a sob and buried her face the in wolf's ruff giving in to her need for comfort.
"I just wish things had turned out differently," she said with a sigh.
The wolf nudged the woman on the bleachers and then morphed into a woman herself. "Grace, you've got to stop being so hard on yourself. Jim's made it this far. In a few more years, his guide will be ready. Until then, we just need to keep watch over them."
Grace looked at her son one more time with human eyes, whispered "Stay safe. Good bye, I love you," and then morphed into a black jaguar.
~~~~~~~
Rounding the side of the track closest to the bleachers, Jim thought he saw a wolf sitting next to a large black cat. He blinked and they were gone. Shaking his head in disbelief he continued on around the track. But later, when he was alone, he would also remember the smell of his mother's perfume wafting on the breeze like a gentle hug.
The end
Feedback is greatly appreciated. Cheryl