A Cheerful Giver
Part 1
Foggy put his phone down and went to stand in the doorway of Matt’s office. “Hey, Matt, you wanna come visit my family this weekend? It’s kind of a big occasion and I’d like you to be there with me.”
Matt lifted his head, his interest piqued, and looked in Foggy’s direction. “What’s the occasion?”
“So, my grandmother’s going to die, but before she goes, she wants to give me her gift.”
“Oh,” Matt said, and his face turned serious. “I’m so sorry, Foggy. Are you two … close?”
“Close enough, I guess,” Foggy replied. “We talk sometimes. I mean, she’s got a few other grandkids, you know, so I was surprised when she said she’d chosen me for the gift, but, hey, maybe it’s my good looks and charm at work, even from a distance. So, please come? There’ll be food.”
“I don’t know,” Matt hedged. “It sounds like a family thing. I don’t want to intrude.”
“Matt, you’re practically family and you wouldn’t be intruding. And like I said, I want you to be there with me. Getting the gift is a big deal.” Foggy watched Matt’s face for any sign that he was weakening, and almost cheered when Matt’s expression softened.
“What, uh, what gift are we talking about?” Matt asked, curious.
“The family healing gift,” Foggy explained. “Grandma’s giving it to me.”
Matt was silent, so Foggy explained. “She can heal people just by laying her hands on them. Just by touching them, actually. She says she got it from her grandmother.”
“Like a faith healer?” Matt looked and sounded sceptical.
“More like something out of a video game or a movie,” Foggy said. “It’s really cool.”
“Uh huh.”
“Maybe you have to see it to believe it.” Foggy hesitated. “I mean, experience it.”
“Good catch, Foggy.” Matt grinned, and Foggy grinned, too. “So you’re coming?”
“If you’re sure I won’t be intruding,” Matt said.
“You won’t be intruding, and even if you were, which you won’t be, I want you there, so there,” Foggy finished. “So you’re coming.”
+++++
Foggy’s grandma lived with one of Foggy’s uncles, and there were already several members of the extended family in the apartment when they got there.
“Hi, Aunt Jean,” Foggy said. “Hi, Uncle Ray.”
“Foggy!” his uncle said. Normally, he would have boomed his words, now he was more subdued. “And who’s this? Is it the legendary Matt we’ve heard so much about?”
Matt smiled his quick, embarrassed-but-pleased smile. “I’m not legendary, but yeah, I’m Matt.”
“Nice to meet you.” Uncle Ray grabbed Matt’s hand and pumped it before Foggy could tell him to at least announce he was going to shake hands. Aunt Jean did the same. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. We’ve heard nothing but Foggy and Matt this, and Foggy and Matt that.”
“Matt That,” Uncle Ray almost laughed. “You’re a poet who doesn’t know it, Jean.”
Everybody chuckled a bit despite the solemnity of the occasion. Just then, Foggy’s parents came out of the bedroom just then, both of them looking sad and even teary-eyed. His mom hugged Foggy tightly. “Oh, Foggy, I heard the news. Are you sure you want this?”
“Hey, she wants to give it to me, she must have a reason,” Foggy said, and hugged his father, both of them silent.
His mother moved on to Matt, touching him lightly on the shoulder. “Matt? Can I hug you?”
“Sure, Mrs Nelson,” he said, opening his arms. Foggy was glad to see that she didn’t squeeze him as tightly, and even gladder to hear her say, “You can call me Anna, you know.”
“Anna,” Matt repeated.
“And I’m Edward,” Foggy’s dad said. “Come on, let’s have a hug.”
“Be careful, Edward, don’t break him,” Foggy’s mom said.
“He’s no Foggy, but he’s not a toothpick, either,” Foggy’s dad said as they embraced. “Are you, Matt?”
“Uh,” said Matt, which made them all laugh again. Then Foggy’s dad let him go and stepped back, his face becoming serious again. “Foggy, she wanted to see you as soon as you came.”
“Okay,” Foggy said. “Come on, Matt.”
“I’ll stay out here,” Matt offered. “Unless you really want me there.”
“I really want you here,” Foggy said, and stepped over to offer his arm. “Come on.”
They went into the bedroom. Foggy’s grandma was sitting up in her bed, looking as lively and chipper as he’d ever seen her, and gave him a big happy smile, so different from all the relatives in the other room. “Franklin!”
“Grandma!” Foggy bent over and gave her a gentle little hug. “You look good!”
“Well, I should hope,” she replied. “I’ve got a lot of people I’m looking forward to seeing again. And speaking of people, is that Matt?”
“Yeah, this is Matt.” Foggy tugged him forward a few steps, and Matt held out one hand, but his grandmother didn’t take it, only frowned. After the awkward moment, Matt retrieved his hand and stepped back again.
“I can see why I knew you were the one,” she said very solemnly. “You’ll have your hands full with him.”
“I already do,” Foggy said, shaking his head for emphasis.
“Well, then, no time like the present,” Grandma Nelson announced, enthusiastic again. “Come here and let’s get on with it. You might want to kneel down so I can reach your head.”
Foggy knelt down at the side of the bed and laid his head in his grandmother’s lap. “Is this okay?”
She ran her fingers along his head. “Harry had hair like this, though he never wore it long. Well, not here on earth, anyway. So beautiful. Probably even more beautiful now that he’s an angel. But enough babble, I’m anxious to get going.”
“Any last minute instructions?” Foggy asked.
“You’ll know what to do,” she said. “You’ll feel it. Use it well. I trust you.”
Then she was silent and her hands became still. Foggy waited, and after a moment, he felt a kind of pinprick in the space between her hands. Then there was a sensation of hot wind, blowing in through the tiny hole, turning into warmth that spread through his entire body. After that, there was nothing else, and when Foggy felt his grandmother’s hands relax, he lifted his head gently. Her hands slid away and fell to her sides, and when he looked at her face, her eyes had closed. All the animation had drained out of her face and she looked so much older than he had ever imagined. For a moment, he wasn’t even sure it was the same woman.
“Grandma?” Foggy asked, his voice already choking up and tears coming to his eyes. He stayed where he was for a long moment, just staring at her, but then he began to be aware of Matt, standing reverently behind him. The awareness became acute, almost physical, and he turned around, practically expecting to see Matt glaring daggers at him even though that was impossible. But Matt’s head was bowed and his lips were moving silently; he didn’t even seem to notice Foggy.
“Amen,” Matt finally whispered, just loud enough for Foggy to hear, then he crossed himself and lifted his head. “Foggy, I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you,” Foggy replied automatically, blinking. Two tears ran down his cheeks, but he ignored them. There was something stirring inside him, something that made him raise his hand and slowly reach out for Matt’s face. “Matt … you’re injured again, aren’t you?”
“I’m fine,” Matt replied, a little too quickly for Foggy’s liking. Foggy touched the side of his face and caught his breath in surprise.
“No, you’re not, you idiot! You’re hurt! It’s your … ribs … again … and your shoulder?” Foggy guessed. He was almost as aware of Matt’s body as he was of his own, though it didn’t hurt; he simply sensed a wrongness in specific areas. Matt tried to step away, but Foggy caught the back of his neck. “Relax, buddy, it’s okay. I can help you. Just don’t run away, okay?”
Foggy closed his eyes and concentrated, wanting to heal Matt, but not quite knowing how. But as his grandmother had promised, he felt the warmth rise up in him, going down his arm and into his hand, and passing from his fingertips into Matt’s skin. The urgency inside him faded, and eventually the warmth faded, too. He opened his eyes.
“Wow,” Matt breathed, and Foggy laughed a little. “Yeah. Wow. Pretty cool, huh? Or … pretty hot?”
“Kind of warm, actually,” Matt said. “I – uh – I didn’t believe you could do that, but I – I actually felt … something. And now it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“Don’t Catholics believe in healing by the laying on of hands?” Foggy asked, then felt his knees start to tremble. “No, you know what? Let’s have this conversation later. I, uh, I think I need to sit down.”
They went back out into the living room, where Foggy’s mother immediately jumped up and guided him to her chair. He sank down and heaved a sigh, then jumped when his father pushed a paper cup into his hands.
“Just juice,” he said. “You can have the heavy stuff later if you want. Matt, you want a drink, too? I’ll get you something.”
As Matt sat down next to him, Foggy drank, and felt better immediately. “Thanks.”
“So you’ve used the gift already?” That was Uncle Ray, suddenly hovering over him. “I was going to ask you to heal my diabetes, but that’ll have to wait until you recover, I guess.”
Foggy glanced up in alarm. “Sorry, yeah, I’ve already used it. Matt, uh, fell down the steps when he was taking out the trash, and bruised his shoulder.”
“Ray, don’t pester the boy with your diabetes. Your mother already did what she could for you, several times,” Aunt Jean put in. “You know it wouldn’t keep coming back if you’d do what she told you.”
“Huh,” Uncle Ray muttered, but he moved away from Foggy, going straight into the kitchen. Probably to get a snack, Foggy thought. He could use a snack himself, and maybe a nap, too.
“Hey, Aunt Jean?” he asked. “Can I get something to eat?”
“I’ll get you something,” his mom said, and his father followed her into the kitchen.
“It’ll take a while for you to get used to it,” Aunt Jean said, and Foggy nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Just do what feels right,” she went on. “That’s what she always said. Except when she was talking to Ray. Then she always said, Make sure you eat right, then I won’t have to make you right.”
Foggy smiled sleepily. As his eyes fell shut, he could tell he was going to have as much trouble with Matt as his grandmother had had with Uncle Ray.
Part 2
Matt lifted his head, his interest piqued, and looked in Foggy’s direction. “What’s the occasion?”
“So, my grandmother’s going to die, but before she goes, she wants to give me her gift.”
“Oh,” Matt said, and his face turned serious. “I’m so sorry, Foggy. Are you two … close?”
“Close enough, I guess,” Foggy replied. “We talk sometimes. I mean, she’s got a few other grandkids, you know, so I was surprised when she said she’d chosen me for the gift, but, hey, maybe it’s my good looks and charm at work, even from a distance. So, please come? There’ll be food.”
“I don’t know,” Matt hedged. “It sounds like a family thing. I don’t want to intrude.”
“Matt, you’re practically family and you wouldn’t be intruding. And like I said, I want you to be there with me. Getting the gift is a big deal.” Foggy watched Matt’s face for any sign that he was weakening, and almost cheered when Matt’s expression softened.
“What, uh, what gift are we talking about?” Matt asked, curious.
“The family healing gift,” Foggy explained. “Grandma’s giving it to me.”
Matt was silent, so Foggy explained. “She can heal people just by laying her hands on them. Just by touching them, actually. She says she got it from her grandmother.”
“Like a faith healer?” Matt looked and sounded sceptical.
“More like something out of a video game or a movie,” Foggy said. “It’s really cool.”
“Uh huh.”
“Maybe you have to see it to believe it.” Foggy hesitated. “I mean, experience it.”
“Good catch, Foggy.” Matt grinned, and Foggy grinned, too. “So you’re coming?”
“If you’re sure I won’t be intruding,” Matt said.
“You won’t be intruding, and even if you were, which you won’t be, I want you there, so there,” Foggy finished. “So you’re coming.”
+++++
Foggy’s grandma lived with one of Foggy’s uncles, and there were already several members of the extended family in the apartment when they got there.
“Hi, Aunt Jean,” Foggy said. “Hi, Uncle Ray.”
“Foggy!” his uncle said. Normally, he would have boomed his words, now he was more subdued. “And who’s this? Is it the legendary Matt we’ve heard so much about?”
Matt smiled his quick, embarrassed-but-pleased smile. “I’m not legendary, but yeah, I’m Matt.”
“Nice to meet you.” Uncle Ray grabbed Matt’s hand and pumped it before Foggy could tell him to at least announce he was going to shake hands. Aunt Jean did the same. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. We’ve heard nothing but Foggy and Matt this, and Foggy and Matt that.”
“Matt That,” Uncle Ray almost laughed. “You’re a poet who doesn’t know it, Jean.”
Everybody chuckled a bit despite the solemnity of the occasion. Just then, Foggy’s parents came out of the bedroom just then, both of them looking sad and even teary-eyed. His mom hugged Foggy tightly. “Oh, Foggy, I heard the news. Are you sure you want this?”
“Hey, she wants to give it to me, she must have a reason,” Foggy said, and hugged his father, both of them silent.
His mother moved on to Matt, touching him lightly on the shoulder. “Matt? Can I hug you?”
“Sure, Mrs Nelson,” he said, opening his arms. Foggy was glad to see that she didn’t squeeze him as tightly, and even gladder to hear her say, “You can call me Anna, you know.”
“Anna,” Matt repeated.
“And I’m Edward,” Foggy’s dad said. “Come on, let’s have a hug.”
“Be careful, Edward, don’t break him,” Foggy’s mom said.
“He’s no Foggy, but he’s not a toothpick, either,” Foggy’s dad said as they embraced. “Are you, Matt?”
“Uh,” said Matt, which made them all laugh again. Then Foggy’s dad let him go and stepped back, his face becoming serious again. “Foggy, she wanted to see you as soon as you came.”
“Okay,” Foggy said. “Come on, Matt.”
“I’ll stay out here,” Matt offered. “Unless you really want me there.”
“I really want you here,” Foggy said, and stepped over to offer his arm. “Come on.”
They went into the bedroom. Foggy’s grandma was sitting up in her bed, looking as lively and chipper as he’d ever seen her, and gave him a big happy smile, so different from all the relatives in the other room. “Franklin!”
“Grandma!” Foggy bent over and gave her a gentle little hug. “You look good!”
“Well, I should hope,” she replied. “I’ve got a lot of people I’m looking forward to seeing again. And speaking of people, is that Matt?”
“Yeah, this is Matt.” Foggy tugged him forward a few steps, and Matt held out one hand, but his grandmother didn’t take it, only frowned. After the awkward moment, Matt retrieved his hand and stepped back again.
“I can see why I knew you were the one,” she said very solemnly. “You’ll have your hands full with him.”
“I already do,” Foggy said, shaking his head for emphasis.
“Well, then, no time like the present,” Grandma Nelson announced, enthusiastic again. “Come here and let’s get on with it. You might want to kneel down so I can reach your head.”
Foggy knelt down at the side of the bed and laid his head in his grandmother’s lap. “Is this okay?”
She ran her fingers along his head. “Harry had hair like this, though he never wore it long. Well, not here on earth, anyway. So beautiful. Probably even more beautiful now that he’s an angel. But enough babble, I’m anxious to get going.”
“Any last minute instructions?” Foggy asked.
“You’ll know what to do,” she said. “You’ll feel it. Use it well. I trust you.”
Then she was silent and her hands became still. Foggy waited, and after a moment, he felt a kind of pinprick in the space between her hands. Then there was a sensation of hot wind, blowing in through the tiny hole, turning into warmth that spread through his entire body. After that, there was nothing else, and when Foggy felt his grandmother’s hands relax, he lifted his head gently. Her hands slid away and fell to her sides, and when he looked at her face, her eyes had closed. All the animation had drained out of her face and she looked so much older than he had ever imagined. For a moment, he wasn’t even sure it was the same woman.
“Grandma?” Foggy asked, his voice already choking up and tears coming to his eyes. He stayed where he was for a long moment, just staring at her, but then he began to be aware of Matt, standing reverently behind him. The awareness became acute, almost physical, and he turned around, practically expecting to see Matt glaring daggers at him even though that was impossible. But Matt’s head was bowed and his lips were moving silently; he didn’t even seem to notice Foggy.
“Amen,” Matt finally whispered, just loud enough for Foggy to hear, then he crossed himself and lifted his head. “Foggy, I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you,” Foggy replied automatically, blinking. Two tears ran down his cheeks, but he ignored them. There was something stirring inside him, something that made him raise his hand and slowly reach out for Matt’s face. “Matt … you’re injured again, aren’t you?”
“I’m fine,” Matt replied, a little too quickly for Foggy’s liking. Foggy touched the side of his face and caught his breath in surprise.
“No, you’re not, you idiot! You’re hurt! It’s your … ribs … again … and your shoulder?” Foggy guessed. He was almost as aware of Matt’s body as he was of his own, though it didn’t hurt; he simply sensed a wrongness in specific areas. Matt tried to step away, but Foggy caught the back of his neck. “Relax, buddy, it’s okay. I can help you. Just don’t run away, okay?”
Foggy closed his eyes and concentrated, wanting to heal Matt, but not quite knowing how. But as his grandmother had promised, he felt the warmth rise up in him, going down his arm and into his hand, and passing from his fingertips into Matt’s skin. The urgency inside him faded, and eventually the warmth faded, too. He opened his eyes.
“Wow,” Matt breathed, and Foggy laughed a little. “Yeah. Wow. Pretty cool, huh? Or … pretty hot?”
“Kind of warm, actually,” Matt said. “I – uh – I didn’t believe you could do that, but I – I actually felt … something. And now it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“Don’t Catholics believe in healing by the laying on of hands?” Foggy asked, then felt his knees start to tremble. “No, you know what? Let’s have this conversation later. I, uh, I think I need to sit down.”
They went back out into the living room, where Foggy’s mother immediately jumped up and guided him to her chair. He sank down and heaved a sigh, then jumped when his father pushed a paper cup into his hands.
“Just juice,” he said. “You can have the heavy stuff later if you want. Matt, you want a drink, too? I’ll get you something.”
As Matt sat down next to him, Foggy drank, and felt better immediately. “Thanks.”
“So you’ve used the gift already?” That was Uncle Ray, suddenly hovering over him. “I was going to ask you to heal my diabetes, but that’ll have to wait until you recover, I guess.”
Foggy glanced up in alarm. “Sorry, yeah, I’ve already used it. Matt, uh, fell down the steps when he was taking out the trash, and bruised his shoulder.”
“Ray, don’t pester the boy with your diabetes. Your mother already did what she could for you, several times,” Aunt Jean put in. “You know it wouldn’t keep coming back if you’d do what she told you.”
“Huh,” Uncle Ray muttered, but he moved away from Foggy, going straight into the kitchen. Probably to get a snack, Foggy thought. He could use a snack himself, and maybe a nap, too.
“Hey, Aunt Jean?” he asked. “Can I get something to eat?”
“I’ll get you something,” his mom said, and his father followed her into the kitchen.
“It’ll take a while for you to get used to it,” Aunt Jean said, and Foggy nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Just do what feels right,” she went on. “That’s what she always said. Except when she was talking to Ray. Then she always said, Make sure you eat right, then I won’t have to make you right.”
Foggy smiled sleepily. As his eyes fell shut, he could tell he was going to have as much trouble with Matt as his grandmother had had with Uncle Ray.
Part 2