Tara sat on the side of the sand dune gazing out over the ocean, when suddenly she realized she couldn't remember how she got there. All she could remember was running out of Anthony's house in shock. He had just told her the worse news she could imagine, yet he was being so calm about it. She has never known anyone with cancer so she doesn't know much about it. Now her best friend has just told her he has to have surgery to remove a brain tumor and the doctors are almost positive it is giong to be cancerous
"Oh my gosh." she thought to herself "how could I have been so selfish?"
As she started to get up to go back to Anthony's house she felt something on her shoulder. She had been so lost in herself that she hadn't even noticed that Anthony had walked up behind her.
"I'm so sorry." she cried, as she turned to give him a hug. "I was so freaked out I didn't even stop to think about how you must be feeling."
"Hey, it's okay."Anthony said "You should have seen me yesterday when the doctors told us. I totally lost it, my mom had to chase me down after I went running out of the his office.
"So that must be why you've been getting all those headaches!" Tara exclaimed
"Yeah, but I don't know what's worse, having headaches and taking aspirin all the time or knowing what's causing the headaches and know that it's something alot worse."
Tara pulled him down onto the sand, laid his head on her chest, softly stroked his brown shoulder length hair, and held him as they lay quietly, enjoying the comfort and security they get from just being together.
Anthony wasn't sure how long they had been laying there but when he started to feel a chill in the air he opened his eyes and noticed the sun beginning to set. When the sun reached the horizon and the reflection stretched across the water it seemed as though the sand started bubbling. After watching for a few minutes they saw it wasn't bubbling at all. What they were seeing was sea shells popping to the surface. They got up, started walking toward the water and as far as the eye could see there were little black and white sea shells scattered all over the beach. Tara picked up one of each. She noticed that even though they each had a top and a bottom, the black was so black that it seemed like empty space that went on forever. The white was such a bright white that it was blinding to look directly into.
Tara gave the white one to Anthony, and with hardly any effort at all they were able to open each of their shells. Inside they found the roundest, smoothest, most perfect colored pearls. The black just as deep and black as its shell, and the white just as bright white. They turned and looked at each other with shocked amazement. Tara reached in, took out her black pearl and placed it in the palm of her hand.
What was once a pearl was now the most beautiful being you could ever imagine. It is hard to describe, almost angelic like. It had a black human face so perfect, smooth and shiny like the pearl. It had a long, silky, white, flowing gown. Long, silky, salt and pepper, colored hair, and black paper thin wings that looked so fragile you wouldn't dare touch them. It stood about four inches tall with no distinct male or female features but, because of it's beauty you got the feeling it almost had to be a female.
It startled Tara so bad, she let out a yell and jumped so high she almost dropped it. Anthony had to grab her hand so she wouldn't. Still shaking, she lifted her hand to her face to get a closer look at it. Finally after studying it a moment or two, she asked "Who are you? Do you speak?"
"Yes I do." it said "I'm glad you asked I thought we were going to just sit here and look at each other all night."
"Oh, look Anthony a smart alec angel fairy" Tara said
"Actually I am a nebbia, my name is Meng" it said. " And yes, humor is a universal language. I get that reaction so much I have to break the ice somehow."
"How did...why...where... did you come from?" Tara asked
"Well, lets start at the beginning." Meng said. "As I said, I am a nebbia. We are formed when the spray you feel from the crashing waves soaks into the sand, settles down below, and forms our dwelling, what you call a sea shell. Over time, we develop into the sphere that you saw when you first opened my dwelling. Once we have matured we are able to come above and perform the task we were created for. Well now, I believe that covers the how, and the where, now the why. I am here for you. The two of you to be more specific. I am a comfort nebbia. There are other types but you are in need of the comfort that I provide, so that is why I have been brought to you at this time. What you are about to experience is going to create such emotional turmoil within you that you will return here often and use this place as your source of strength, and security.
"Why can't we just take you with us?" Anthony asked. "If it's going to be that bad we are going to need you with us all the time."
"No, no, no, I must never leave the sand" Meng said "The moment I am removed from the sand I return to the salt water from which I was created. I am going to be here for you. Every time you return I will come to you, and since you will be looking for me, check the sand around you and I will be there."
Over the next few days Anthony had appointments at the doctors office and hospital to get ready for his surgery. He spent late afternoons and evenings with Tara and Meng. Meng helped them make sense of the things to come. She taught them that sometimes it's okay to laugh and have fun even when facing a serious situation. She taught them it's okay to cry even when you don't know why. But the most important thing she taught them was,out of all the emotions the greatest is love. It is the wisdom behind your decisions, it is the compassion you feel for the hurting, and it is the source from where you get you strength.
At last the day arrived when Anthony was to have his surgery.Tara was with him and his family right up until the moment they came to take him to surgery. Once he was out of her sight she wanted to run to Meng, but couldn't bear to leave for fear the doctor would come out with some news and she wouldn't be there. Time passed so slowly, but finally after about three hours the doctor came out. Tara could tell by the look on his face that the news wasn't good. He told them they weren't able to get all of the tumor. It had gotten so deep that they dare not go any further. Either way the end result isn't good. If they stop now, at least Anthony would be able to go home and spend his last few months with his family and friends. If they kept going he would probably never leave the hospital, so his mom and dad agreed that this was the best decision. They would rather spend the time he had left with him at home instead of in the hospital.
The day came when Anthony was able to go home. As the weeks passed he and Tara spent hours upon hours on the beach. They even took his parents to meet Meng. Meng explained to them how wonderful life is on the other side, and that even though they will miss him and be extremely sad for awhile, he will be in a beautiful paradise. It comforted them the most when Meng assured them that eventually they all would be together again.
Anthony gradually grew weaker, and weaker until he wasn't able to go with Tara to the beach. She would go in the mornings so she could see Anthony in the afternoon. Although he missed going he enjoyed hearing about her visits with Meng.
When Tara didn't show up for a few days Meng knew that Anthony was finally cancer free,and in paradise. Tara still goes to the beach. Sometimes her and Meng talk. Sometimes they just hang out saying nothing at all, but every time they know that Anthony is always there with them.
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