Thank you all for the wonderful encouragement! It means a lot to me, each review and PM. I've decided to downrate the story to K+, it isn't that fluffy, considering the narrative of these stories. Timeline - It's a bit tricky. We go back and forth a bit.
12 years later
-Mom?
-Yes, Wade?
-Are you asleep?
She couldn't help smiling. Despite the fact that he was 11 years old he still had a roundness in his cheeks and naivety that explained such a question. The smile was foreign to her face these days and felt like a stretch of a tired limb.
-I'm sitting here, aren't I? I can't be asleep if I'm sitting here.
His chest rose off the covers he rubbed his eyes "I had a nightmare."
-It's that silly series you saw in Netflix. Told you not to watch it!
-No, I ain't scared of monsters, they are just made up stories, and there is always a hero to save the day.
She laughed "I wish I was this smart, I'm still scared of fog."
He seemed happy to hear that and rose in his bed, stretching his arms to hug her "Ma - Fog's just water in the air, ain't nothing scary about that."
-You are a smart one.
-Mommy, is Iran our enemy?
With an inner sigh accepting the fact that her son was bound to ask her questions regarding politics with Charlie's, Brent and Frank's death in a faraway war, and having spent a whole afternoon in the presence of Dr. Mead, his wife and the entire gang that surrounded his aunt these days more than ever.
-Oh. I don't know, honey. It's not an ally of ours for sure. But it's complicated.
-Hasn't Ella's grandma come from Iran?
Elhala-nana came from Persia, it was a village on the border of Iran. I'm not sure it was Iran when she left.
-Are they all bad over there?
-No, honey. Of course not. You know Elhala-nana is good.
-I didn't mean Elhala-nana. Why did they kill my father and Ella's dad?
-Hon', your pa didn't die in Iran-
-I know that, but are they all bad out there? Where there's fighting? Where our men die?
-Only few men fight on each side. The rest are just people. Like you and I. There is no reason that I can think of for dying except for the fact that it happens.
-What do you mean?
She sighed "You know I was in Afghanistan when you were a baby. I wasn't a solider of course. But I came out all-right. Aunt Careen's Brent was there with me and he died from an explosion."
-Are you against armies and soldiers?
-No. We have soldiers to protect us. Our way of life. It's complicated, son. Many years ago there was an attack on two beautiful buildings that stood in New York and-
-Ma! I'm not stupid, I know of 9-11.
Her patience was beginning to run out. "So you know that we need soldiers and armies. Do try to sleep"
-How come you and Aunt Careen believe in God? Uncle Rhett doesn't. He says that if there is hell we are living it.
-He shouldn't have said that to you. Charlie, Bonnie, my mother, Frank are all in heaven for sure and you'll see them when you are old and your time comes.
-He said that there is only darkness.
-Honey - there is always light and hope. Rhett was very sad. I don't think God causes our sufferings. I believe that Jesus came here to give us relief from our sufferings. Some say that God is all that is good in the world. That God is in you and in this hug, even in the clouds we enjoyed watching today. If there isn't darkness, how can we appreciate light? I never followed much of these thoughts and notions But I do know that whenever I light a candle in church, I feel light inside me.
-Did you explain this to Uncle Rhett?
-No. Not really. I'm not sure he can see things this way.
-You should. Maybe he won't be so sad.
She took a glass and looked at it. An idea came to her mind and she asked "What do you see here, Wade?"
"I see the glass with water. May I drink it? I'm thirsty."
"Sure, love" she handed him the glass "Well, you are lucky because you see the water, but some people would have answered that they see the glass is half empty and needs refilling. That is the thing about light and darkness. You see the light, and I choose to try to see the light too. It ain't easy though. Sometimes I have to remind myself to see the light. Your Aunt Melly is an inspiration in that, she always sees the light."
After a while he added -
-I'm still scared.
-I know. But I'm here. We are miles away from the war zone and we are the strongest nation in the world. You're safe my darling.
It did not seem to ease his mind.
-Do you remember Doctor Nissani who treated me in the hospital?
-Yes.
-He saved my life, you know, and he's from Afghanistan. He was born there, and then he came to live here.
-He's not our enemy?
-No honey. As I said, most people aren't our enemy, you shouldn't be scared.
-Don't they have bombs?
-Sure they do. But so do we, don't we?
-I suppose. Did that doctor really save you?
-Sure. He operated me and saved my life in the middle of the night. He was called especially to operate on me.
She felt his body ease and his voice was sleepy when he added "I miss Uncle Rhett."
"Me too." She decided to refrain from hiding her feelings "He'll be back. He always is."
"I used to make-believe he's my pa. But he isn't, and he's gone."
"Yes he is."
"Wasn't Aunt Melly's brother my pa?"
"He was your first pa. Did I ever tell you that he was my best friend?"
"No. Was he?"
"Yes. He was a bit older than me and he took pity on me, I think, because I didn't want to play with the girls and it was this age when boys don't invite girls anymore to play with them."
"So he played with you?"
"He was too old for those games, but he talked to me and climbed trees with me. He was the kindest man that ever lived. He was so excited when I chose him as your pa."
"You always say you chose him as my pa."
"I did, but I already told you I'd explain this on your 16th birthday, haven't I?"
"I don't understand how Uncle Rhett's my pa."
"He calls you son, doesn't he? and he loves you like a father, and I think you love him back the same way. You're even mad at him the same way you'd be mad at a father only." It was hard. She wasn't going to explain this now, but she never lied. "When you're older you'll know for sure that he is. Besides, you have his eyes and wide shoulders. No one in my family has such beautiful dark eyes nor huge shoulders."
"I'm mad at him for leaving. I'm mad at him for making you cry."
"I don't cry!" she cried out indignantly.
"Sure you do, ma. It's when you purse your lips and shut yourself in your room. Than your eyes are red." He dismissed her denial in his sleepy voice. Not reflecting as to why she would deny such a clear fact - "That's crying. You don't need to wail like Ella when she trips over a branch or be like Aunt Pitty to cry."
It humbled her that he'd see through her so easily. He was so much like Charles.
"Why doesn't Uncle-Rhett ask me to call him Pa? Like nana. She's not my grandma but- People say that I look more like him than you. But he isn't ,mom - is he?"
"On the inside I think you are a bit like me and even more - like Charlie. You too are the kindest soul that ever lived next to Charlie. How I wish you could have met him. He'd make all the nightmares go away." She kissed his head and felt him smile.
"You are kind, ma. You're tough and sharp, but Aunt Melly says you're the most selfless person she's ever met."
"When did she say that?"
"I told her I heard you and Uncle Rhett quarrelling - he called you ' a selfish bitch'. Why do people think that female dogs are bad?"
"Female dogs are wonderful, baby. You're right, it's silly. It's like calling a man after his skin color. It's really silly. I'm sorry you heard us fight, and that you heard him swear, but if he swore I bet I wasn't quiet either…"
Wade snuggled "You called him a whore monger. What's that?"
"Oh my! That's another thing you'll ask in that 16th birthday talk I promised you, if you don't figure it out by yourself by then."
"Why at 16?"
"It's only fair, my love. I need to not tell you some things right now, but when I do - remember I promised to eventually tell you, and you have the bottom line, even if I didn't get into details." He wasn't listening.
-Sleep with me?
She cuddled to her son and recited with him Hail Mary once and then quietly a second time and waited. All she could do was wait now for winds of grace or winds of war.
A.N. In GWTW they all had nightmares. Here I'm borrowing current conflicts and some experience of my own - my boys never could stop worrying when hearing of our strength - only the kindness as in a case of a doctor 'from the other side' saving my own life made them realize that most men are kind, and should be regarded as such. That is something that I daily pray to never forget.