A Little Old Wish

A Story by Austin Cates

Would you be able to sacrifice your own happiness for the love of another?

Walking through the mall, with a less than delighted look upon my face, I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I paused and saw a little old lady staring at me with the kindest smile I have ever seen. I put on my facade of a smile and asked "Can I help you?" To which she replied "You don't know me, and you have no reason to believe me, but I can grant you one wish." Her smile never shifted, and I felt a strange feeling overcome me, it felt almost familiar. I stared at the lady for what seemed like eternity crammed into seven seconds. "Can it be about someone else?" I asked, and the lady nodded. "It can be about whatever you desire, child. All you need to do is speak it aloud and then it will be."

I thought for a moment, then my facade of a smile slowly left my face. The lady frowned and moved her hand from my shoulder to my cheek. Her touch was sincere and loving, as were her following words "What's wrong child, I'm giving you such a wonderful opportunity?" I closed my eyes and saw a woman's beautiful face smiling in my mind. This thought has brought me both incredulous joy and horrific agony in equal measure for years. Almost as if the little lady read my mind, she nodded. "Who is she, dear?" She asked, and I looked at the floor then back up at her with a shy smile. "She's my best friend, even though she doesn't know it." The little lady then understood my plight.

"I can make her love you more than life itself, her love shall never falter for as long as you both live." She offered with that kind smile. "You can be happy, child." She finished with a whisper of a voice. I thought again of the woman's amazing smile, and this time her laughter played as a perfect soundtrack. "Go ahead child, speak the words and it shall be." The little old lady nodded again, causing me to abandon the short memory I hold so dear in my mind. "I wish...she was truly happy and everything was right in her world." I said with a terrified quiver.

The little old lady's eyes widened and she put her hand over her mouth in shock. "Oh my..." she said breathlessly. "Is something wrong?" I asked and the lady let loose a few tears. "Why would you waste your wish on another?" She asked, genuinely concerned. "You love her with all your heart, do you not?" She continued, and I nodded solemnly. "I do, but it wouldn't be right for me to force love on someone that didn't feel it." I replied, and felt my heart shatter like it had so many times before when thinking of that smile and laughter. "What if her happiness no longer includes you in her life?" The lady asked, and I winced at the thought. "If that's what it takes for her to be happy." The words didn't seem to come from my mouth, but I know they did.

The little old lady then wiped the tears from her cheek and smiled that kind smile. "Are you sure dear? Once made, the wish cannot be undone." she asked and clarified. "Can I make one change?" I asked, and the lady's face shifted oddly for a moment, as if she was disappointed. "Anything you wish." She said shortly, with no emotion. "If her happiness doesn't include me in her life at all, can I keep my memory of her? So I know my wish came true?" My request drew more tears from the little old lady and she nodded one last time. "Very well, child." She said with the widest of smiles. Then I blinked and she was gone.

Suddenly, from around the corner, my best friend appeared and butterflies took flight in my stomach. She looked around at a kiosk full of graphic t-shirts and belts that have logos and sayings on them, then she looked up and our eyes met. My heart fell to the floor when she didn't smile like she usually did when we saw each other. As she walked towards me I closed my eyes and thought of my perfect memory of her. A single tear slipped from my eye and rolled gently down my cheek.

Then I felt a punch to my chest and I opened my eyes to see her standing in front of me. "What's wrong dude?" She asked, and my eyes grew wide with a joy I cannot describe. "Nothing." I replied and wiped the tear away with a smile. "Ok weirdo, let's go to the food court, I'm starving!" She brushed off my incident and walked ahead of me. "C'mon slow a*s, I want pizza!" She called from a few feet away, without looking back. I chuckled and followed my best friend towards the food court.