Page 254 of The Tempted

“You’re no devil, Jack,” I stated. “Close your eyes,” I repeated, as I ran my fingers through his hair. “Dream of your boy,” I said, clearing my throat before I started to sing a lullaby. I meant to sing it to the man who needed healing, but I sang it to both the man haunted and the son lost, hoping that sweet boy heard my voice.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away,” I sang softly, watching as Jack struggled to keep his eyes open, slowly letting them close.

“In all my dreams, dear, you seem to leave me. When I awake my poor heart pains. So, when you come back and make me happy, I’ll forgive you dear, I’ll take all the blame,” I hummed the tune softly, forgetting the rest of the words and when his breathing labored and sleep fell upon him I sang the chorus again, whispering in his ear how much I loved him.

Today I believed in God.

I stared into the green eyes of the young man wearing the baseball hat, the smile on his face temporarily repairing my heart that’s been broken since the day he left this world. Then he said the words that would permanently heal my soul.

“I’m okay, Dad,” he whispered. “I’m safe now.”

He turned around and walked into the light beckoning him away from me as I heard the faint sound of a woman’s voice as she sang the sweetest lullaby.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…

---