Sold through ARTSHARKS ARTHouse
By Asem Sharaf

– And then what?

– And then what, you ask? Well, whatever happens. We’ll get through it.

– And how do you know?

– Well, we’ve got each other, haven’t we?

– Who are you to guarantee such a thing?

– Me? Diehard optimist.

– Fine. So how precisely are we going to get through it this time?

– As we get through it every other time. We’ll work on it. We’ll stick to it. We’ll love so much that there will be no room for it to breathe amidst all this love, and it’ll fade away and drift off. And you’re not going anywhere. We won’t let you. Personally, I forbid it.

– And who are you to forbid such a thing?

– To the best of my ability, I forbid it. I’ve got a tongue to form the words to persuade you. I’ve got these arms here to hold you tight to me—no one and nothing can steal you away; my arms are very strong. I’ve been going to the gym, you see.

– Please don’t cry… I’m beginning to believe you. Keep talking.

– And I have connections and we’ll get money and medicine and nothing will happen. It’s all in the mind. All in the mind. Haven’t you heard that? Half-truth. Half in the mind. The other half is in the heart.

– I’m already feeling better. Pity I didn’t send you to become a doctor. Bring your sister over here. You two children are all I’ve left in the world.

– Stick around. You’ll have sons, too. And grandkids, to teach math and fishing too. And then great-grandkids, and you can spoil them by secretly buying them ice-cream every afternoon, while we pretend to get angry and scold you.

– Sounds familiar.

My sister came into the room, and I winked at her. She’d heard the last of the conversation, and already our father’s face had lit up as if struck by a sunbeam. He’d stopped coughing, and even his cheeks looked rosier. The sickness could eat our dust. We’d won. I went to make him some more soup as my sister rearranged the blankets and pillows. She started chatting about her boyfriend, and we were all happy.

The wait-for-the-grandkids charm works every time.

“Angreek87″