Wishing well

"We are all flawed."

She said over her shoulder, as she tossed another penny into the wishing well.

He shrugged his shoulders, and stood back. Just watching, as she unraveled a few wishes, and prayed that new ones took their place. He was nervous about something, unsettled, and even though she saw it plain as the wrinkles on his face, she knew he didn't really notice. He just held himself back.

"You wear your pain just a short call behind the shadow in your eyes. You may not see this, but I do."

Plunk!!

Another one hit the water, sending ripples out, chasing after other ripples until they splashed against the edge of the wishing well.

"What are you wishing for?" He asked her, and his shoulders moved like he was shaking something off, a little shiver.

"That last one? See how it made a little bigger splash than the one before it?"

He leaned in a little closer, but the water was still, and all he saw was his reflection. Two dark eyes peered back at him. He suddenly felt a chill, like he had stepped into a shadow, and the sun was obscured. He stepped back, glaring at her, and not understanding if she was making fun of him or he had missed something.

"There was no penny." His hurt eyes accused her.

She took a step back, as she dug her hands into the pockets of her soft, brown corduroy pants, looking down.

"Well, I guess I have run out of wishes. Do you wish to share yours?"

He sighed, looking down and kicking the little pebbles on the ground around them, and slipping his hands into his pockets.

There they stood, hands in pockets, looking past each other. The wishing well becoming larger as each moment passed.

"You know, none of us were built to last." She looked at him when the words spilled out of her mouth. She was suddenly shy, kicking rocks and kicking dust.

He looked at her, and couldn't remember why he had ever felt hurt before. Even her sharp parts were consumed by the softness of her spirit. He felt her softness reach inside him, and he began to melt.

And thru all his growing softness, all the rigid fear began to be replaced by an inner strength. The cold knot in his stomach was becoming a warm glow. He could bend and move inside. There was a freedom.

Little pieces were coming loose. He wondered, Am I broken? What are all these little pieces?

Even though he felt so strange, he also felt he was coming home to something. So he let the little pieces do what they may. He sank down into the warmth in his belly.

All this happened in just one moment.

She smiled.

He reached into his pocket, taking out a bright, shiny, copper-colored penny. It was warm in his hand. He could feel the penny's metal all the way down to his toes. It was an odd sensation. The wish was bubbling up from his belly. One bubble, giggling its way up to his fingertips.

His hand found hers, and he pulled her back to the edge of the Wishing Well, crunching on little pebbles, awakening poofs of dust.

He swung his arm, opening his hand and giving the penny a beautiful arch to soar along.

They both watched as his wish left his hand, shiny and bright, tumbling heads over tails. One little penny floated thru air, hitting the center of that calm, clear water.

PLUNK!!

Prayer met desire, and he remembered how to wish.