Kindness And Cookies

By Kadeeja Ruwaidah

The silence that engulfed the couple as they exited the hospital was heavy.

Raphael squeezed his wife's hand as they kept walking, leaving the hospital behind them. Neither of them talked, but Raphael gently steered her in the direction of a park that was nearby.

The couple had previously been through a miscarriage already, and although Mira got pregnant again, she had been experiencing pain in her abdomen and lower region, soon followed by bleeding. Worried for his wife, Raphael had rushed her to the hospital.

They got the same heart-shattering news again. Mira went through another miscarriage. The doctor related it to PTSD and that it would take a while for Mira to recover and was abstained from doing anything that would stress her out.

Mira had been pregnant for less than two months, and hence, after some tests, she was declared fit to leave the hospital. But the shock and trauma the couple experienced was anything less than healthy.

"Do you want something to eat? Maybe ice cream? " Raphael gently prodded, as they reached the park.

Mira absent-mindedly followed Raphael asked he steered her onto a bench that was shaded by a large tree.

She shook her head at him, not trusting herself to form words, lest she breaks down in tears.

Raphael hugged her silently, acknowledging her need for silence and peace, to digest the trauma. He rubbed her back, knowing it was her favorite thing.

Suddenly, Mira broke into tears as she clung to her husband. "I thought this... time, for sure. Eight years, I- I s-sincerely hope..d, " she babbled amidst tears, ending with a hiccup.

"Everything happens for a reason. Remember, when God closes one door, another will open, for sure. We just have to... trust in him, " Raphael tried to comfort her. But the words he used to poo believe firmly somehow seemed to sound phony to him now.

How was it that, despite their firm belief and patience in God, they were given the same fate after literally waiting for years? His hands shook, but he tried to keep it steady. He had to be strong. For Mira.

"I wanted a c-child, Raphael. Is- is that a bad thing-g to ask? Oh help me, I-I an g-going in-insane, " she worded loudly, no longer caring about her surroundings. Her nails dug into Raphael's shirt, but he endured it. He kept rubbing her back as she let her feelings loose.

Suddenly, Mira felt a small tap on her knees. Eyes blurry with tears, she could hardly make out the figure of a small girl standing in front of them.

"Do you want a cookie? Cookies always make me happy whenever I'm sad, " the childish voice made the couple pause with bewilderment before Raphael burst out chuckling.

Before either of them could respond, another little girl came running and started to tug the girl who'd come to them.

"You can't. Miss Martha won't give you food again at night if u keep giving cookies away for free, " the girl hissed in. It was a hurried whisper, but both Raphael and Mira heard.

"Are you selling these cookies, children? " Raphael asked them kindly as he looked them over.

The girl who had tapped Mira didn't seem a year older than six, but she wasn't wearing any girl scout uniform. Rather, she was in a fairly battered old dress which was a faded blue, and her black hair tied in a messy braid. But her deep brown eyes sparkled as if it was a rare diamond set on her dusky-skinned face.

While the other girl had dark mousy brown hair and honey-colored eyes with darker skin. And her lips were set in a frown as she side-eyed the couple.

"Oh, you can have this one. Cookies always cheer me up when I feel like crying. So... " the girl offered as she nudged the wrapped cookie close to them.

"Oh no, we couldn't. Wouldn't you get in trouble? " Raphael asked.

"Yes, Miss Martha won't give any dinner to Sheena if she goes back without the money, " the other girl said defiantly, misunderstandingly cross with Raphael and Mira.

"Oh? Why's that? "

"Because Miss Martha is mean and a bully, " Sheena huffed, but her hand was still outstretched with the cookie.

"Tell you what, I'll buy all the cookies that you have left. This lady... " Raphael said, looking at Mira, "needs them all. How about it? "

Sheena looked tempted for a second, but the child innocently shook her head.

"An act of kindness always comes back to you tenfold, " Sheena obstinately denied.

"You're a smart one, aren't you?" Raphael gently praised her, as he took the cookie from her. "Will you tell me what your names are?"

"I'm Sheena! And this is Shemira," the black-haired girl exclaimed with a bright smile.

Shemira simply huffed as she looked at the couple with a distrustful look.

Mira couldn't take her eyes off the kids, her tears slowly drying as she took in the interaction between them and her husband.

She reached into her purse and took out crisp notes of ten dollars and silently handed them to the kids.

Before Sheena could refuse, Shemira snatched the money and yelled, "We don't have to have to go hungry today!"

"But we're not supposed to take money from those in distress," Sheena reprimanded her in a whisper.

"Say girls, where do you live?" Raphael's question brought back the attention of the girls to him again.

"Green Marsh Orphanage," Shemira morosely replied.

"I see. Well, you girls should get going. It would soon get dark. Don't want no wolves to attack you, " Raphael jested.

"There are no wolves here," Sheena giggled before she skipped behind her friend who had already walked off.

The couple watched the kids go. But they didn't budge and sat there till the stars shone in the sky.

~~~~~~

A week had passed after the episode in the park with the children.

Raphael and Mira were relaxing on the couch, cuddled and watching a movie.

"I can't stop thinking about her, Raph," Mira exclaimed out of nowhere.

"Hmm?" Raphael was confused for a second before Mira blurted out.

"The kids. Especially Sheena. I keep wondering how she's doing. The place she's staying at didn't sound too comfortable. I wonder if she's ill-treated. She's such a special kid."

Raphael hugged her silently, lost in his own contemplation. Even he had felt the same about Sheena. She was an exceptional child.

"I know we haven't spoken about adoption, but Raph, do you think we could go and visit her once?" Mira's voice was small and uncertain, unsure how her husband would react.

"Of course," he relented and kissed her forehead.

The following day, true to his words, Raphael brought Mira to the orphanage. They saw small children playing about and a few potential parents looking over the orphaned children.

It felt foreign to Mira. She'd never visited an orphanage before. They hadn't ever discussed that option. But something about Sheena had struck her deeply.

The process was long. They visited the orphanage each day, after talking with the caretakers. The deal was to spend time with the kids to know who they wanted to adopt for sure.

But Mira already had the answer. Sheena. Even though Martha tried to steer the couple towards the much younger children, they only wanted to spend time with Sheena.

One day, on their regular visitation time, Mira and Raphael walked in on Sheena praying. She had her eyes closed and hands folded, as the little girl whispered words of gratitude to her lord.

"I'm so happy I get time to spend with Mr. and Mrs. Hudson. They're really good to me. Thank you for giving me a chance to have met them. Thank you for returning my kindness ten-fold to me..."

They didn't stick around to hear more, as they left her to pray on her own. Mira had tears in her eyes and Raphael had a big smile on his face. Their minds were made. This girl was indeed special.

A kindness lent in time of need might rescue someone from their downward spiral. And oftentimes than not, an act of kindness is always returned.

Raphael and Mira adopted Sheena into their family. And not a year later, Mira got pregnant again and this time, she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.

With an act of kindness, Sheena not only earned herself a good family, but also earned a beautiful baby brother. The Hudson family grew, and it started with just a cookie.

By Kadeeja Ruwaidah