The Road To Happiness

It had been four days since Doris Schwartz had come out of the coma, she had been in for the previous two weeks. Doris had some incredibly strong memories of being in the past, back at the school of the arts, she’d attended as a teenager, seeing her friends and teachers there, but her daughter, Jenny, had convinced her that it had all been a dream. Doris was in the psychiatric wing of the hospital and was being evaluated, as the doctors had thought she’d tried to commit suicide by taking pills with alcohol and setting her apartment on fire. Doris’ memory of the events was a little hazy. It was certainly true she had been feeling depressed and very stressed. She had lost count of the pills she’d taken and had perhaps one too many drinks but she didn’t think she had deliberately set a fire. Still it was important that Doris convince the doctors that she was of sound mind and so said nothing about her memories of being in the past.

Dr Philips stands up: “Well Doris, I think you’ve made good progress. I’m satisfied that you’re not a danger to yourself, or to anyone else come to that, and I think you can go home tomorrow.”

Doris exchanges happy smiles with Jenny.

Jenny: “I’m going to come and stay with you for a few days just to make sure you’re okay.”

Doris doesn’t feel that it’s necessary but doesn’t want to be seen arguing in front of the doctor so smile sweetly and nods her agreement.

As the doctor leaves the room he calls back: “It looks like someone’s here to see you.”

Doris turns to look and immediately starts to cry. Her son William, who she thought had been killed in Afghanistan, stands in the doorway on crutches. Jenny had told her mother the good news pretty much as soon as she’d come out of the coma. William had been found alive, separated from the rest of his unit who had all been killed, and was on his way back to America. William had sustained some cuts and bruises to his face and damage to one of his legs but essentially he was okay.

Doris had felt tremendous relief to hear that her son was alive, but part of her couldn’t believe that he had survived when so many had died. Now he was standing in front of her she couldn’t control her emotions, the stress, the pain, the hurt all flooded out of her in tears and she jumps out of bed to run and hug her son. Throwing her arms around him she held on to him extremely tightly.

William laughs: “It’s great to see you Ma but not so tight, I’m still recovering here, remember!”

Doris loosens her grip slightly: “I’m sorry Son, I just thought I’d never see you again. I’m so happy that you are here. I never want to let you go again. This feels like a miracle has happened."

Suddenly the happy go lucky expression on William’s face becomes more serious. “A miracle? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to be here but it’s not a miracle to me. All of my friends, my whole unit are dead. All of them, wiped out by a bomb. They had no chance! People say I’m lucky to be alive but I have to live with the fact that they are all dead."

William pauses to keep control of his emotions and then continues slowly: “I thought....I don’t know now...but... I thought I’d seen a white haired old woman so had gone after her to see if she was okay and then suddenly out of nowhere the explosion hit. I didn’t know what had happened at first and was thrown by the force of the blast, damaging my leg. I couldn’t move. I called out to the other guys but no one replied. It was just me left. Then as nightfall fell I thought I may have survived the bomb but I was going to be left there to die alone."

William’s voice trails off as again he stops talking in order to keep control of his emotions. Doris’ wipes the tears from her eyes, sensing the pain her Son is feeling. Like any Mother Doris just wanted to take her Son’s pain away. She hugs him again, this time more gently.

Doris whispers her voice trembling with emotion: “I’m sorry Son. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through or what you’re going through now but you’re home now. Home with me and I don’t know how, but somehow we are going to make all of this okay. I promise you, you’re not alone now, you have me and Jenny and we aren’t going anywhere and we aren’t going to let anything else happen to you. Do you hear me?"

William slowly nods his head: “Yes Ma, I hear you.”

Doris motions to Jenny to join the group hug and the three of them stand in silence holding each other for love and support.

The next morning, while Doris is waiting to be discharged from the hospital there is a knock on the door and Lydia Grant pokes her head around the door.

Lydia smiles: “Oh good, they told me you were going home today and I was worried I wouldn’t see you. How are you feeling?”

Doris nods: “I’m doing okay.”

Lydia: “Oh Doris, when I heard you’d been trapped in a fire my heart went out to you. I remember that terrible fire at the School. Oh goodness, Elizabeth and I, and Bruno, Leroy, Danny we were all trapped in the auditorium. If the fire fighters hadn’t arrived when they did, well... it doesn’t bare thinking about what might have happened and I still have nightmares about it.”

Doris’ skin turns cold as she listens and questioningly asks: “There was a fire at the school?”

Lydia is surprised: “Yes honey, don’t you remember? It was years ago at the Alumni celebrations and your baby daughter was trapped with us!”

Doris nods slowly: “But that.....”

Doris stops herself. She knows those events only happened when she went back in time but here is Lydia describing them as though they had happened to her too. Doris is puzzled as to what is happening but scared to let herself believe the possibility that she didn’t dream everything.

Lydia looks at her questioningly: “But what honey?”

Lydia notices the fear on Doris’ face and takes her hand reassuringly: “I’m sorry to bring up bad memories, that’s not what I came for. I came to ask you something.”

Doris is relieved that Lydia has changed the subject: “What is it?”

Lydia hesitates: “Well, I hope I’m not overstepping the mark here but after everything that’s happened to you I wondered if you’d like to come back to the school?”

Doris is puzzled: “Come back?”

Lydia nods enthusiastically: “Yes, to work. It would just be part time in the office but I thought it might help you.”

Doris smiles: “In the office? You mean Mrs Bergs old job?”

It had been so long since Lydia had thought of the ditzy old woman who had run the office for years at the school. The thought of her makes a smile break out across Lydia’s face.

Lydia nods: “Yes sort of like what Mrs Berg used to do.”

The thoughts of having a useful purpose and being back at the school, this time for real, filled Doris with joy.

Doris laughs: “I’d love to do it.”

Lydia gives her a quick hug: “That’s great. I’ll give you a call in a couple of weeks when you’re fully recovered and we’ll arrange everything. Now I’d better hurry I’ve got a board of Ed meeting I’ve got to get to. Oh boy, do I hate those meetings, if there was one thing I could changed about being the Principal it would be not to have to attend meetings with lots of stuffed shirts, who know nothing about the arts. Anyway bye for now I’ll see you later.”

As Lydia leaves Doris feels very mixed emotions. Firstly she is happy and excited by the prospect of the new job at the school, but secondly she is puzzled about how Lydia remembered a fire at the school that had never originally happened. It was something that Doris had been led to believe was a figment of her imagination. Doris suddenly becomes concerned, was she really back in her own time or was this all still part of the nightmare she’d been living? Doris panics worrying that she’ll never be able to tell again if events are real or dreamt.

At that moment Bruno arrives and notices her agitated state: “Are you okay?”

Doris shrugs: “I don’t know. How do I tell if something is real or not?”

Bruno is puzzled by the question: “What do you mean?”

Doris sighs: “Bruno if I tell you something, it’s just between us right? You won’t say anything to the doctors or Jenny?”

Bruno nods: “Sure, you know you can trust me.”

Doris hesitates: “It’s... It’s just... that while I was in the coma, something actually happened to me. I mean I was here in the hospital but I was also somewhere else. Where I was, isn’t important but things happened there that were strange and now I’m scared that I can’t tell what is real and what is not.”

Bruno leans forward and kisses her passionately on the mouth: “Is that real enough for you?”

Doris is surprised: “What are you doing?”

Bruno becomes concerned: “You do remember don’t you?”

Doris remembers dreaming that Bruno kissed her and telling her that he loved her but is scared to admit it So says nothing about it.

Doris: “Remember what?”

Bruno feels embarrassed: “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have kissed you. I just thought it would help you.”

Doris snaps: “How? You’re a married man, you’re married to my friend!”

Bruno apologises again: “I’m sorry, I guess I better go. I just thought.... I just hoped that what we shared was real to you too”.

Bruno gets up and walks to the door, opens it and leaves.

Doris pauses for a seconds and then yells: “BRUNO!”

After a moment Bruno re-enters the room, much to Doris’ relief.

Doris takes a deep breath: “I’m sorry I can’t let you leave like that. I do remember...but... they told me it was all a dream. I’m so confused!”

Bruno gently squeezes her hand: “You’re confused. At least you can blame it on being unconscious and in a coma. I have these memories going back to when I was a teenager of you turning up and then disappearing; Of you wanting my help to save your other self from the fire; Of me realising these feelings I’ve had for you ever since we were at school together, feelings I didn’t even realise were there, until I started to analyse my life and come to recognise the mistakes I’ve made....”

Doris interrupts: “You remember all of that?”

Bruno nods: “I don’t know why, I don’t know how and I don’t want to analyse it anymore. I just know that I love you and I want us to be together. I’m going to get a divorce and I want you and me to get married. We’ve wasted so much time, let’s not waste any more. If this is all a dream, then I for one don’t want to wake up!”

Doris can’t believe what she is hearing. After all these years of loving Bruno from afar, he finally wants the same as she does. She throws her arms around him and they kiss passionately.

Doris: “Let’s make this work, but what about......”

At that moment Jenny enters the room and interrupts them.

Jenny: “Hi Uncle Bruno, I’m glad you’re here can you help me with the wheel chair please?”

Bruno gives a reassuring wink to Doris: “Sure, no problem.”

As Bruno and Jenny leave the room Doris smiles to herself suddenly life seemed to be falling into place. William is safe, she has a job working at the school she loves and she has a wonderful man who wants to share the rest of his life with her. It was a shame that them being together was going to hurt a friend but sadly that can’t be helped and besides Bruno’s marriage had been over for years.

Jenny re-enters the room with the wheelchair: “Okay Mom, we’re ready for you.”

Doris starts to protest that she doesn’t need a wheelchair but Jenny interrupts.

Jenny: “Mom, if you want to get out of here then you need to do as you’re told for once in your life.”

Doris smiles and reluctantly sits in the wheelchair. As they pass through the door Doris looks back into the room and sees a bright light in the corner. As she looks at it she sees the figure of Mrs Berg appear and Doris gasps.

Jenny is concerned: “Are you okay?”

Nervously Doris nods: “I..erm.. I’ve just got to get something. You wait here".

Doris heads back into the hospital room and walks over to Mrs Berg.

Doris shakes her head: “I knew it, I knew it. I’m still trapped in this nightmare aren’t I?”

Mrs Berg smiles reassuringly: “No dear, this is quiet real, just like everything else you've experienced was real. While your body was in a coma you were wreaking havoc in the past..."

She laughs to herself and continues: “and I’ve just come to say goodbye to you!”

Doris is shocked: “So it was all real? That’s why Lydia and Bruno can remember things that happened?”

Mrs Berg nods: “Yes dear, it was all real and you’ve even changed some of the events in the past so now everyone else remembers them happening.”

Doris is puzzled and unsure she can trust what she’s seeing and hearing.

Doris: “But, is it possible to change time?”

Mrs Berg shrugs: “You’re asking me? How should I know? I’m just a silly old woman aren’t I?”

Doris looks at her with disbelief: “Please just an old woman? You’re more than that and you know it!”

Mrs Berg smiles: “Well I am a pretty good actress, aren’t I?”

Doris nods: “I’d certainly say so. You know more about everything than you’ll admit to?”

Doris thinks for a moment: “Wait, was it you that William followed to separate him from the rest of his unit in Afghanistan?”

Mrs Berg laughs: “Oh my dear Doris, you do have an active imagination don’t you? All you need to know is that you’ve worked through all your demons and have chosen to live and that’s why you and you’re family are here today, all safe and sound.”

Doris pauses for a moment and then smiles: “I have haven’t I? The guilt I felt about the circumstances in which my Mother died has gone. She knows I love her and I know she loves me. Will, I hated that he died so pointlessly and all alone but now I was there and he died saving my life. The guilt I felt for not being at Nicole’s funeral and not helping my friends when she died is gone, as is the guilt over the way Bruno’s father died. It’s all gone...”

Doris’ whole body goes cold as realisation dawns that she wasn’t on some random journey but in fact her mind was making peace with all the issues that had plagued her for her whole adult life. Issues that had previously caused her to have a nervous breakdown. This time she’d managed to believe in herself and find the strength to solve her own problems, even if she’d done it in a very bizarre way.

Doris takes a deep breath: “This is amazing and it feels like some kind of catharsis. However, I realise I couldn’t have done it without you. You helped me so much, even when I was on the wrong path, you helped me go in the right direction. I don’t know how to thank you.”

Mrs Berg smiles: “Oh I didn’t do anything really but I’m glad you think I helped you.”

Doris continues: “Well you’re helping me right now. I thought I was going crazy. I was worried people would think I was crazy!”

Mrs Berg laughs: “So what if they do, people have thought I was crazy for years!”

They both laugh then a thought then strikes Doris: “But what about Sandy? I didn’t resolve anything to do with him.”

Mrs Berg raises her eyebrows: “Are you sure about that?”

Doris nods: “Well he was still a drunk. He hurt me, He murdered Will. He caused the fire at the school. That doesn’t feel much like a resolution.”

Mrs Berg: “Well dear, think again. Sandy was the only one to die in that fire, all the others got out why do think that is?”

Doris ponders the old woman’s words and then smiles: “I had learnt! I had to learn that no matter how much I try that some people can’t be helped. No matter what I did for Sandy he was always going to mess up his life and everyone else’s.”

Mrs Berg nods: “Yes dear. You’ve felt guilty in the past for not doing more for Sandy and others like him but sometimes some people can’t be helped so there’s no point in feeling guilty. You know that now.”

Doris stops and thinks for a moment: “But there are still things that puzzle me. I mean who was that strange woman that looked like Nicole? and Leroy I saw him die in the future?.... ”

Mrs Berg interrupts: “There are some things that you still have to find the answers for but rest assured my dear Doris you will find them.”

Doris: “Oh my goodness this is so amazing. I can’t believe it! For the first time in years I feel alive and I feel happy with who I am and where my life is taking me.”

Mrs Berg smiles: “Then my work here is done!”

Doris stops and ponders for a moment: “Will I ever see you again?”

Mrs Berg bites her lip and slowly shakes her head: “No dear”

Tears well up in Doris’ eyes as she hugs her friend: “Thank you, thank you so much”.

Mrs Berg: “Thank you. You and the other kids and the teachers who were at the school, from when I was there are so important to me. I played the part of a ditzy old woman because I knew people thought it was adorable. I wanted to adhere myself to them. Once met no one could forget me and that was important to me. I needed you all and you all became like family to me. I love you all and I would do anything to help anyone of you.”

Mrs Berg stops and wipes the tears from her own eyes with a handkerchief: “Now it’s time for me to leave but before I go I’d like you to have this.”

Mrs Berg unpins a silver broach from her scarf and pins it on to Doris’ sweater. Doris remembers that when she was in school it was something the old woman had always worn.

Mrs Berg smiles: “It’s been with me for a long time, now you’ve got something so you’ll always remember me.”

Doris laughs: “Thank you but I would have remembered you anyway!”

For a moment the two women hold hands as they look knowingly into each other’s eyes.

Then the moment is broken as Jenny opens the door: “Mom, are you okay? You seem to be taking a long time.”

Doris looks at her daughter and then back to where Mrs Berg had been standing, which is now an empty space.

Doris wipes a tear from her eye: “I’m fine, I’m just coming”.

As Doris sits back down in the wheelchair, Jenny notices the broach.

Jenny: “That’s a pretty broach, where did you get it?”

For a moment Doris is surprised. Despite what Lydia, Bruno and Mrs Berg had said she’d almost resigned herself to not being able to know 100% for sure that she hadn’t dreamt everything.

Doris: “You mean you can see it?”

Doris notices that Jenny is confused by the question and quickly corrects herself: “I mean haven’t you seen it before?”

Jenny shakes her head: “No”

Doris notices Bruno and William standing at the end of the corridor waiting for them and smiles to herself: “A very dear friend gave it to me to remember them by!”

As Doris looks back into the room she sees Mrs Berg wink at her. The old woman then proceeds to lift her arms into the air, waving both hands and does a little dance as she begins to sing:

“I’m gonna live forever, I’m gonna learn how to fly. I feel it coming together, people will see me and cry....”

Doris stifles a laugh as a huge grin spreads across her face: “Okay Jenny, let go home.....”

The End..........(Or is It?!)