Павел Миллер - The Power of Time

– That’s right! Mom you should go first! And then daddy…

– What time are you planning to go to sleep? Mom needs to get some rest soon!

– I will get my present and take a look at it in my room so that you can have some privacy. Can I do it, dad? Right after that I will go to bed.

– Yes, you can. Take a present first then.

– All right, good night then.

Nikita left with his present, leaving him unopened, and fell asleep holding it tight. Svetlana and Vadim were sitting on the couch, keeping presents in hands. From the side it looked as thought they were scared to open them and to find out that the content did not match with the guesses. Vadim wanted New Year to bring the feeling of love and understanding. He is giving everything to his wife. She sees and understands all feelings, thoughts and wishes. However, it was clear to him that it was not enough for Svetlana. That is the reason she is concerned and lets him know that she needs something he does not have. Vadim wanted his love to become purer, more complete. Then his wife could admire its harmony and be absolutely happy all life long. He was tortured by the feeling of dissatisfaction. His main concern was that he would not be able to reach mutual understanding with his beloved woman, and that they would be deprived of family happiness.

– Dear, if you want I can open my present first.

– Only if you promise to tell me weather your present is the same as your wish, ok?

– Sure.

– But please remember that you are not supposed to tell me what your wish is!

– I remember, love – said Vadim, unwrapping the present.

He opened the present and saw the statuette of the average size, representing the deity of Amur love. The smiling statuette had the bow and arrows behind his back. It held something like a pie in hands, which had an inscription: “I’ll give you anything that you wish, since the strength of your credence is high, your hope is boundless. Let the love grow in you, my son!”

– Yes, dear, my present matched with my wish. I did not know that it could be possible… I won’t distract you and will go to bed.

He proceeded to bedroom, leaving his wife along with her present. She decided not to procrastinate this important moment any more. “What am I going to do if it is not going to be what I hope for…?” – She thought one more time. He rejected those thoughts and opened the lid of the box.

It just can’t be true! Svetlana could not believe her eyes when she saw a Barbie doll in the box. «I am dreaming to have a daughter! What if my wish comes true?! – She thought. – How did my son got this idea to present me with the doll? It is very strange! He used to give me serious presents before». She still did not believe in the coincidence. Moreover, it could not be accidental. That means, that something from above helps her. Having these thoughts, Svetlana closed her eyes, trying to relax and to fall asleep.

Coldness of metallic scissors which were used for cutting the gypsum on the leg did not feel good. Max tried to overcome disgust and was watching the procedure, as if he wanted to see something unusual. After cutting a little piece from the gypsum, doctor told:

– Stand up on the foot.

Max put his foot on the floor and stepped on it for the first time in a long period of time.

– Do you feel pain?

– No, not at all. I feel like I am standing on the gypsum and not on the leg.

– Transfer your weight to the leg.

Maxim did what he was asked.

– Do you feel pain?

– No, everything is good!

– Sit down then, let’s take the gypsum off.

Doctor was mashing Maxim’s leg, which was blue. Feeling was very strange.

– Move your figures, and then move your foot. What do you feel?

– It does not feel like I am moving my leg.

– That is normal since you have not been using your leg for a while. Don’t worry! It will disappear soon. Try to stand on the healthy leg first. Like that, careful.

Maxim was standing on the healthy leg, lacking courage to stand on the broken one.

– It feels light that is so unusual.

– Step on it slowly.

Closing his eyes and feeling coldness, Max put the foot on the floor.

– Stand on both legs, what are you afraid of?

– Well, I am standing, – objected Maxim.

– Come on, don’t be scared – added his dad who was standing behind him. Next moment he felt acute pain, piercing him from head to toes. Not feeling anything, he fell on the floor and dropped the chair. His father tried to catch him, but Max, totally relaxed, bent and fell on the floor in the sitting position. Then the doctor and the father lifted him and waited for him to gain consciousness. It was getting back slowly. Maxim felt a pain which was more spiritual then physical. He understood its necessity and benefit. Suddenly he started to shake and suffocate. Opening eyes, Max saw a doctor, holding a piece of cotton with ammonia near his nose.

– Put it away please! I feel better!

– Where did you feel pain?

– Everywhere from head to toes, as if I was pinned down with a needle.

– You need to stay in bed now. You will have to learn again how to walk. Start with walking at home with the crutch. When you feel tired, go to bed right away, ok?

– Ok, I got it, I should start walking and have rest.

– Good job! Please remember not to give your leg extra work, because the fraction is covered only with a think layer of cartilage. If you break it, you’ll not be able to walk properly. Actually it will be good to be able to flex your leg after that. So take it seriously, you are an adult…

– Please don’t worry, I understood. I will use the crutches to get to the car and will start walking at home carefully and slowly.

– Don’t go outside yet, it is very slippery and dangerous there, so don’t even think about it. Take your time, nothing is going to happen with you. At the spring time, after the snow melts, you will be able to get outside.

– If the weather is good, can I at least go outside to sit on the bench near my house?

– Yes, you can. After a month it will be necessary for you to see me again. We’ll make an X-ray to see how your bone is healing. Don’t forget to do it, – said the doctor to the father more to the son, who already was at the door.

– Yes, I’ll take him to your office.

Maxim was jumping along the hospital hallways and everyone looked at him with surprise.

– Dad, don’t hold me, I can make it.

He became uncomfortable in the car: leg was used to the gypsum, and it was difficult for him to adjust to the change. Max decided that if he didn’t think about it, he would feel better…

– How are you feeling?

It was obvious, that his dad is concerned for him.

– I have a feeling, that my head will never stop spinning.

– Do you feel bad?

The father stopped the car.

– Dad, let’s go. I want to start walking.

– You should go to sleep now, and start walking tomorrow. Where are you rushing all the time? You can’t outrun the time. I have told you many times that you need to do things at the right time, without rushing..

– Thank you. I understood, don’t worry. If I need to go to sleep, I will.

– Good. Don’t upset mom, ok?

– You know that she becomes upset out of no reason. There is nothing I can do. I don’t know.

– She complains that you don’t listen to her.

– But how, dad? I always do what she wants me to. How can I do what I am asked to if I am not listening?

– I don’t even know what to think: you give me completely different information from her. Whom am I supposed to believe?

– You are supposed to believe yourself and Holy Father. You should believe yourself, because you know how to do things right. You should believe the Holy Father because he helps you in your deeds.

– So I should not believe people at all?

– How can you believe people if they say one thing, do another, dream of something else, and then blame everyone that things are not working out for them!! They blame everyone but themselves. How can you believe them?

– That’s’ right. How do you know all this, Max?

– Everyone knows that, it is just that people don’t want to admit their mistakes.

– Every person has a right to do a mistake. Am I right? What do you think?

– There is no right! Who have us this right? Look: a person is taking an action even thought he knows that it is not a correct thing to do. So, he does a wrong thing and then gets scared, that other people will notice. When he is pointed to that, he will just say: “Everyone has a right to do a mistake!” Am I right, dad?

– Yes, son. I agree with you completely! Please tell me, how do you see and understand events? Even I can’t explain them like you: simply and straightforwardly. It sounds very wise, so I don’t even know what to think now.

– Don’t think of it too much. You just need to be opened and to talk of things as they really are, not as you want to see them. See, you were thinking in a wrong way too and were looking for the right answer somewhere. You need to look for an answer within yourself.

– How? I don’t seem to understand you very well. Please be more specific.

– See, we’ll go home now. I will be staying home, or sleeping, or reading, or listening to music, or watching TV – it does not really matter what I’ll be doing. Mom will be home too, right? She’ll want to talk to me, but I’ll always be busy in my room with the door closed. This is what actually irritates her: the person is close to her from one hand, but very far away from the other. You know, I always need to be active and I can’t stand meaningless conversations. Mom wants to communicate and I don’t. It frustrates her. This is when she loses control…

– How can it happen like this?

– It happens like this, dad. The next thing she will do, she will open the doors to my room and tell me not to close them. At the same time, she’ll turn on the TV volume very loud. I’ll tell her that I want to sleep and it is hard to do even with the closed door. She knows it very well, but she’ll still say: «Don’t even thing of closing doors». However, I’ll close them anyway. So, when you get home she tells you that I am not listening.

– There should be some other ways to solve the situation!

– How? What would you do in the same situation? Explain me, please.

– Well, why is she telling me totally different information: that you don’t do homework, don’t help her around the house, and answer her in a rude way?

– What else can she tell you? Do you want to take a look at how much I studied? I am almost done with school program. I did everything I was asked by mom. Despite the headache or the fact that I did not feel like doing it, I still complied. I understand the meaning of the word “have to”, and it does not matter to me weather I want it or not.

– You got me confused, son.

– I am trying to explain you the situation. However, you don’t want to see the reality. You are looking for reasons within a relationship and not within a person. It’s wrong.

– How can you know what I think?

– It comes from your words: “Please, don’t upset mom.”

– So what conclusions can you make from those words?

Maxim could not understand weather his father was upset or surprised.

– I can see everything I told you about.

– All right, I’ll think about it. Go home and take a rest. Do you need my assistance to enter the house?

– No, I don’t. Will you come over in the evening to play chess?