| MIRACLES DO HAPPEN |
| �G�day, Dad. Reckon we�ll take a spin through the park. Just a gorgeous day out today. What do ya think?� Jeff greeted Harry, walking into the living room. He had the day off and Joyce was at work, so he figured he�d spend some quality time with his dad; also saving the nurse some trouble as well, not having to come over to take care of him. Harry pushed the buzzer on his wheelchair once, feeling in the mood to get out and soak up some sun. �You wanna go now, mate?� Again, the buzzer sounded. �Gotta wee or anything?� He pushed the buzzer twice to reply a negative. �All right. Then on we go.� Jeffrey strolled him out of the house and down the road towards the park. It was indeed a marvelous day, weather-wise. The sun shone with intense warmth, but a breeze more than compensated for it. While going through the park trail, Jeff spotted a friend of his. �Mind if I let you rest a moment? I see an old mate I haven�t spoken to for yonks.� Harry buzzed once. Jeff parked Harry�s chair near a bench and then ran off. He returned five minutes later and plopped down onto the bench. Jeff rested his head on his hands and gazed up at the cerulean sky. Puffs of pure white clouds slowly drifted across the horizon. His mind began floating away into daydreams; being lulled by the tranquility of the park scents and sounds and the comforting breeze. In the midst of his midday respite, a familiar voice beckoned him back to reality. His name was being spoken, albeit slightly distorted. Jeff widened his eyes and sat upright, peering towards the direction that the voice came from. He saw nothing but his father who was looking at him. Thinking to himself how bizarre the matter was, Jeff resumed his position of staring at the sky. A few seconds later, the distorted version of his name was heard again, but it was clearer and louder this time. And also this time, he realized who�s voice it was. Jolting up on the bench, he stared at his father. �Dad, was that you?� �...Jeff...,� Harry spoke, surprising Jeff beyond belief. Jeff leaped off the bench and he got on his knee beside Harry�s chair. He grabbed his hand. �And just how long have you been able to talk like this, mate?� Tears of happiness began leaking from Jeff�s eyes. �A..week..� �A week!?� Jeff started, as if he were upset that he waited so long to let him know, yet he was far too relieved and joyed to be upset. �This is terrific. We gotta get you a vocal therapist, mate. Get you back to your old self in no time.� There was a brief pause but then Harry spoke, dying to say the words he wish he could�ve said a long time ago if he knew the stroke was coming. �I love you, Jeff.� The tears flowed even more heavily for Jeff now. Harry, too, began. �I love you, Dad,� Jeff said, hugging his father tight. ~~~~~ �You gotta come see this, Wendell,� Jeffrey said, motioning his husband over to his father. Wendell got off work sooner than Joyce and Jeff called him at home and told him to hurry over. Wendell walked over to them. �Hey, Harry.� Then he looked at Jeff. �What�s up? What�s so important?� �G�day, Wendell,� Harry spoke. Wendell nearly jumped in his skin in surprise. �Whoa... you can talk again. That�s great.� �Yeah. He�s been training himself for the past few weeks and not showing his results. And he�s also getting some movement again, see?� Harry moved an arm and a leg slightly. He was still far from walking, but he was getting the ability to talk at least. That was most important to Harry - communication. The three of them spent some much needed time catching up. Harry thanked Wendell dearly for being there for Jeff and showing him how to love, which made Wendell embarrassed, but he liked it. When Joyce returned home, she was subjected to the great news. She was extremely ecstatic. A world of pressure lifted from her shoulders and Harry was able to forgive her properly and tell her how much he loved her. This was a new era for the family. Events were growing yet even more splendid. Love and all its forms bonded these people with such intensity and innocence. Fate - is sure smiled for them. ~~~~~ With a few months of vocal and physical therapy, Harry regained his full ability to speak and got back full motion in his neck and arms. His legs were still giving him problems, and doctors believed he never would be able to walk again. But Harry didn�t let that get him down. He was able to talk and give full hugs. That�s all he cared about. He was given a second chance to communicate the things that really needed to be said. One evening while visiting Harry, Jeff noticed that they still had the buzzer on the wheelchair, so he walked over and knelt beside the chair and started tinkering with the wires. �What are you doing, Jeff?� asked Harry. �Was gonna remove the buzzer. Don�t need that anymore. But I need some tools. Hey, Wendell.� �Yeah, Jeff?� �Could you go get my box from the car?� �Sure. Be right back..� Wendell stood up from the dining table and headed outside to retrieve Jeffrey�s utility box. Back inside, he placed the box on the table and popped open the lid. �What you need?� �A couple c-wrenches.� Wendell sorted through the box and found two crescent wrenches. He walked over and extended his arm, reaching the tools to Jeffrey. �Here ya go.� �Thanks, mate,� Jeff responded, taking the tools and he began to dismantle the apparatus. �No problem.� In a couple minutes, Jeff successfully removed the unit from the wheelchair. �There ya go, pops. Good riddance, �eh?� �You can say that again. That sound was bugger annoying,� Harry remarked. |