“Grandma, what am I going to do now?”
“Everything’s going to be all right, sweetheart. It won’t happen fast, but I believe in you. You can do it.”
Those were some of the final words my grandmother said before passing away. Melissa was sad, tears falling down her face as she looked at her grandma. God had taken her. Melissa and her grandma had been living together since Melissa was born. Melissa didn’t know her parents and never asked her grandma about them because she didn’t want to make her sad. Melissa always felt like her parents had left her behind, maybe because they had different priorities in life.
Melissa’s grandmother had many visitors, both nice and not so nice. Whenever they came to visit, Melissa would stay in her room and wait for them to leave. She understood that she couldn’t interrupt them because her grandmother was helping them. As time went by, Melissa grew older, and when she turned 12, she began to comprehend the world a little more. She realized that the world was different from what she had thought. Melissa believed that her grandmother knew many things that other people didn’t know. As she grew older, she also began to understand those things, and it scared her. Melissa would sometimes cry in her room because of what she was seeing and comprehending.
Melissa was crying again in her room when her grandma heard her. She came to her room quietly and asked if she was okay before entering. Melissa said yes and allowed her grandma to come in. “Hey, sweetie, what’s wrong? I’ve been hearing you cry more often lately. Are you okay, darling?”
“I’m scared, Grandma.”
“What are you scared of, honey?” grandma asked. Melissa shared everything with her grandma, and her grandma gave her a tight hug. “Melissa, my dear, I’ve always been afraid that this would happen and you would inherit my gift. But I suppose it was meant to be,” her grandma said.
After her grandmother passed away, Melissa was at a loss about what to do next. She was only 15 and thought that she would be sent to an orphanage and then to a foster home. Melissa didn’t want that to happen, so she decided to run away and hide somewhere far away. She didn’t really understand why she had made that decision, but she thought she could make it work somehow.
Mr. Wesley Harris gave his daughter a kiss on the forehead and said he would try to come home earlier. Chelsea let out a sigh and said, “It was okay, Dad. You don’t have to feel guilty about being at work all the time. I’ll be okay. Go ahead,” Chelsea reassured her father.
“We could do a movie night tonight. Do you want to pick something fun?” Wesley asked, trying to cheer her up.
“It’s okay, Dad, don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something,” Chelsea added.
“What is it, sweetheart?” Mr. Harris asked.
“Do you think we can try to find someone?”
“Honey, are you sure?” her father asked with concern. Chelsea didn’t want her father to hire a caregiver who would only provide routine medical treatments and treat her like a baby. Instead, she wanted someone who could just talk with her. She also asked not to consider the agencies. “What’s up with the nurses from the agencies, Dad? They’re not real. They’re like machines, you know? They act according to all the rules and instructions. I’m not connecting with them. They’re just cold.”
Wesley kissed his daughter once again and said he will try to figure something out.
Wesley was going to work and thinking that life is really weird. About five years ago, he had a family that was very happy, but now his wife passed away in a car accident and his daughter is very sick and can’t get out of bed. Wesley is spending a lot of money on her medicine, but her health is getting worse every day. The doctors are not optimistic about her condition and are saying that her illness is getting worse.
At first, it wasn’t so frightening. Chelsea received treatment and was living like any other child. She still needed to take medicine, but nobody was aware of it. At some point, everything changed for the worse. Chelsea began losing weight quickly and became very feeble. It’s been a year, and she barely leaves her bed. Sometimes, she can sit up by leaning on soft pillows. Recently, she has been experiencing more pain. Every time Wesley saw his daughter in pain, his heart ached. He felt helpless and had been struggling to deal with it. Although doctors have prescribed some painkillers, they didn’t seem to last long, and Chelsea was becoming more tolerant to stronger painkillers.
Wesley pulled up to the parking lot outside of his office. “Mr. Harris, do you think I could go earlier today? My wife is getting discharged from the maternity ward today,” Wesley’s driver was looking at him through the rearview mirror.
“Oh, wow, congratulations! Yeah, sure, go right ahead. Let me know if you need anything.”
“All good, sir, thanks! You can leave the keys and take a day off tomorrow if you need.”
“Oh, can I? I appreciate it, Mr. Harris! So, is it a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a girl. We named her Melissa.”
Wesley smiled and said it was a beautiful name. “All right, have fun and congratulations once again.”
Wesley got out of the car and went to his office. Everything around was busy and full of life. People were getting married and having children, either letting happiness in or the opposite. However, at his home, everything was dull and dreary. Everyone was silently waiting for what would happen next. The most difficult aspect of everything Wesley was going through was to remain strong and not to crumble. He did his best to support his daughter and tried to smile as much as he could. Chelsea was an intelligent and mature person, and despite her condition, she was coping well. However, it was difficult for Wesley to see her in that state. He understood how tough it must be for his little girl to be confined to her bed and to realize that there was only one outcome with no hope for a better future.
“Mr. Harris, I need you to sign these papers, please,” Wesley’s secretary approached him. “Andie, uh, I need your help. I’m looking for someone who could spend time with my daughter. It doesn’t have to be someone certified, not a robot from the agency, an actual human being.”
“Oh, that’s a tough one. Hm, let me think. Someone who can spend time with your daughter and not from an agency… I guess you could try someone her age or, I don’t know, someone who needs a place to stay, maybe?”
“Yeah, I guess we can try that. All right, give me the papers to sign.”
Wesley completed his work early as he had promised Chelsea. He then decided to visit a convenience store to get some sweets for her. Even though the housekeeper and doctor had advised against any sugar, Wesley knew that a chocolate bar would make his daughter happy. He was aware that the housekeeper and doctor might get upset, but he wanted to bring a little joy to his daughter’s day.
As he was leaving the store, Wesley saw a girl standing outside with no particular purpose. He sensed that she was struggling with something internally, although she didn’t appear to be homeless or anything. Wesley remembered his own daughter and decided to talk to her and make sure she was okay. “Excuse me, do you need any help?”
At first, the girl was scared, but then she smiled. She apologized and asked if she could have some spare change. She explained that she had run out of money and was feeling hungry. Wesley glanced around and noticed a nearby restaurant. “There is a restaurant. Can I buy you some food?”
“Thank you so much, sir! This is really embarrassing.”
“No, you’re fine. Don’t worry.”
While on his way to the restaurant, Wesley was contemplating the girl’s age. She appeared to be around 15 or 16 years old, just like his daughter. However, her eyes made her seem much more mature than her age. The girl was eating everything that Wesley had bought her. She was so famished that her eating made Wesley feel hungry too. At that instant, he realized that he could ask her to come with him to meet his daughter. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even ask your name.”
“I’m Melissa.”
“Melissa, where are your parents? Do you live with them?”
Melissa immediately stopped. “I don’t really know them. I used to live with my grandma at the trailer park. When she passed away seven months ago, I moved to the city.”
“So, you have a place to stay?”
Melissa just shrugged her shoulders. “I had been staying with my grandma’s old friend for five months. I was helping out at home, cleaning, cooking, and stuff, until her children took her to their home in another city.”
“So, you’re saying you’ve got nowhere to go?”
“I guess not.”
“Would you like to live in our house? I have a daughter.”
“Is she sick?”
“How do you know?” Wesley was alarmed.
Melissa saw that Wesley was confused and figured she had to say something. “Well, you looked tired, and as soon as I mentioned I was taking care of my grandma’s friend, you instantly lit up. Then you said you had a daughter, and that’s how I figured.”
“You’re quite smart. How old are you?”
“I’ll be 16 in a week.”
“Do you have any papers with you?”
“They’re in the mall, not far from here. A kind janitor let me store my things in the closet there. I help him clean the floor sometimes, and he lets me stay there.”
Wesley was thinking. He liked Melissa. “So, what do you think? Do you want to move in with us? I mean, please don’t get me wrong. We’ve got a nurse, the housekeeper. It’s just my daughter needs someone to talk to, that’s all.”
“I understand. Yeah, I can do that.”
“You don’t even know me, and you just agreed to go with me?”
“Don’t worry, I know you’re telling the truth.”
“How much do you think I should pay you?”
“Sir, you don’t have to pay either.”
Wesley thought Melissa was very innocent and genuine. They were in a car, driving past the bright lights of the city, and Melissa was gazing out the window. Wesley saw this as an opportunity to discuss his daughter. “So, Melissa, let me tell you about Chelsea.”
“You don’t really have to. If she wants to, she’ll share her story with me when she’s ready.”
Wesley agreed with a nod. He was still perplexed and curious about where Melissa had actually come from. When they got to his house, Wesley first showed Melissa her bedroom. She really liked it. “It’s beautiful. I’ve never had a bed like that.”
“Make yourself at home. You can unpack while I step out for a bit.”
Melissa was thrilled with her own bedroom. She meticulously unpacked her belongings and arranged her clothes tidily in the closet. After finishing, Melissa silently left her room and walked into the hallway where Wesley was walking towards her. He stopped and said that it was time for her to meet Chelsea.
Chelsea was sitting in her bed, looking out the window. “Hey, honey.”
Chelsea slowly turned around and smiled. “Hey, Dad.”
“Melissa, this is my daughter, Chelsea. And Chelsea, this is Melissa.”
Chelsea was looking at Melissa with great interest. “Nice to meet you, Melissa.”
“She is a really nice young lady. I’m sure you will get along well and make really good friends,” Wesley added. “All right, you two, go ahead and get to know each other. I’ll go change.”
Melissa slowly walked over to Chelsea’s bed and looked at her without saying anything. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi,” Chelsea replied. Chelsea could feel that Melissa was looking deep into her soul. She had a weird feeling. Chelsea was a bit frightened and looked at Melissa, but then Melissa smiled. “Don’t be scared. Everything’s going to be all right.”
Gradually, the awkward tension between them subsided, and they started talking. By the time Wesley came back, Chelsea was laughing. As he walked in and saw them, he froze. He hadn’t seen her beaming and heard this laughter for the last couple of years. Melissa was telling her how her grandma would have herbal teas every time to make her memory better. She kept losing her shiny things and thought that she was forgetting them somewhere, and it turned out a magpie was flying in and stealing them. “Are you guys having fun?”
Chelsea turned to her dad and said, “We are, Dad.”
Wesley said that dinner will be ready in an hour. He was expecting a refusal from his daughter as usual. This time, Chelsea said, “Dad, do you think we can move my bed to the kitchen? I want to eat there.”
Wesley was shocked. “Of course, honey! Let me get the chair instead.” They had purchased a special chair for her a long time ago, but Chelsea never used it. She had been against it. Wesley instructed the housekeeper to prepare a table for three people, which surprised her. However, when she noticed Chelsea chatting animatedly with another girl, she quickly got to work. Chelsea couldn’t eat a lot, but she had a hearty appetite. It was peculiar and uncommon. It was the first time she ate well. For a brief moment, Wesley began to question what the doctors had told him, but he realized that doctors from three different countries can’t be wrong at the same time.
Before going to bed, Melissa noticed that Chelsea was curled up in pain. “Melissa, can you call the housekeeper? I need a shot.”
But Melissa walked up to Chelsea and put her palm on top of her head. After a minute, Chelsea began to feel that the pain was subsiding. She had never felt anything like that before. She wanted to ask how Melissa was doing that, but she couldn’t. Her eyes were drooping, and she felt like she was falling asleep. Melissa stood up to shut the door and saw the housekeeper hurrying to give Chelsea a shot. “Excuse me, ma’am, she’s better. She fell asleep.”
“What do you mean she’s sleeping? What about the pain?” The housekeeper peered inside and saw Chelsea was indeed asleep. “That’s impossible.”
Two weeks passed, and Chelsea had changed a lot. Wesley was astonished. He saw how Melissa was leading her by the hand carefully. For the first time in the last few years, Chelsea got out into the yard. Wesley couldn’t believe what he was seeing, but he was still wary that it could be something temporary. “Mr. Harris, where did you find this girl?” the housekeeper asked.
“You won’t believe it, but I met her on the street outside a store.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine. I mean, I don’t know how to say this, but she’s a bit strange. She knows everything. The other day, she predicted that it was going to rain in 10 minutes. She told me that my son’s sore throat needs to be treated with some kind of herb. I mean, look how much Chelsea has changed.”
“Are you telling me she’s some kind of clairvoyant or something?”
“I don’t know. I don’t really believe those things, but I just don’t understand how.”
Wesley smiled, but he agreed with the housekeeper. Melissa had a piercing gaze. In the morning, Wesley was getting ready for work. Melissa walked out to him from her room. “Mr. Harris, do you have to go to work today?”
“Yes, is everything okay?”
“Can you stay home today, please?”
“Why, Melissa? What’s going on? I have a lot of things to do at the office.”
Melissa kept begging him not to go anywhere and tell his driver to stay in the city today. Wesley didn’t know why he agreed to listen to her. In the end, he decided he could probably work from home today. When he turned on the TV, he saw that there was a terrible accident on the highway involving a dozen cars. It happened exactly at the exit he was supposed to take and at around the time he usually passes through that area. He immediately got a call from his driver. The driver talked for a while and thanked Mr. Harris for letting him stay in the city today.
Wesley got up and headed for Melissa’s room. He couldn’t take it anymore. He really wanted to know who she really was. He knocked on her door, but there was no response. Then he walked towards Chelsea’s room, and as he was approaching, he heard loud noises. They were arguing about something. He stood behind a slightly open door and looked through.
Melissa was shouting at Chelsea, “Get up now!”
“I can’t.”
“Who told you you can’t?”
“But I’m really sick. I can’t walk. I’m not supposed to walk.”
“But you’re still alive! Give me your hand!”
Wesley froze because Chelsea put her right foot on the floor, then the left, and then she got up. She wobbled immediately, and Wesley was about to lunge, but Melissa had already had her shoulder up for her. “There you go, good job,” Melissa told Chelsea. “And you were telling me you were destined to be in bed?”
Chelsea burst out laughing. “Oh my God, I’m standing! I can’t believe it!”
Wesley quietly stepped back. He didn’t care who Melissa really was—a witch, a clairvoyant, a psychic. If she could get Chelsea to walk and become healthy again, he was ready to pray for her until the day he died and take care of her like his own daughter.
Three months later, after tests, the doctors were confused. “I don’t know what to say, Mr. Harris. I don’t think we were wrong. Only a miracle could have happened.” But miracles don’t happen. Unfortunately, he wasn’t really sure about his last words, though. A miracle did happen, and Chelsea became a healthy girl again. Melissa continued living in the family. Wesley told her he will take care of her until she decides to move on on her own.