Roberta and Lloyd
By Shiboney Dumo
By Shiboney Dumo
It’s hard being 85, too many aches, memory is fading, too many injuries too many friends lost. Roberta hobbled through the halls of the assisted home that she was staying at. It was nice enough; TV sets for every room, the nurses and the helpers are polite, they have a gym, pool, an entertainment room that has a piano and guitar, and a bonus karaoke machine. It was nice enough but Roberta misses her youth and most of all she misses the hugs her husband used to give her. Lloyd was new to the home. He arrived sometime two days ago but was in bed rest. He fell in his bathroom and that’s what prompted his kids to send him to the home. They were not okay with him living alone anymore. He’s 87, and still insists on driving and doing things for himself. This was a compromise so his children will not put him in a dreaded nursing home. It’s going to be quite a change, and one that he hopes he won’t regret. Lloyd was instructed to walk around the facility the next day so that he’ll heal faster. He did, slowly at first but when he saw Roberta, he started walking a little bit straighter and faster. Roberta was looking at the distance. The assisted home was situated near a lake, so the residents can enjoy watching the sunrise every morning or people just being on the lake. Today was a stormy day, so there was no one in the lake besides ducks and geese. She watched them anyway and the small tides caused by the winds. She was remembering the time when she kayaked through a storm, it was a fun time. She didn’t mind getting wet at all, and she loved the challenge. Lloyd stared at her for a minute, watching her small smile on her lips. He approached her and before introducing himself, he did the clearing the throat thing. It made her chuckle, it was very 50s. She turned to face him and smiled to herself, thinking this man is handsome. After the pleasantries, they decided on having breakfast together. It was cornbeef and hashbrowns morning, Roberta’s favorite. The breakfast turned to lunch together and then again dinner. Needless to say, they grew fond of each other’s company and at their age, you don’t really play games anymore. You learn to just do because tomorrow may not come, as cliche as that sounds. But what Lloyd doesn’t know is that the area where the home sits is where nymphs and dryads often pass by. It used to be a gathering place for them and from time to time, they’d pass by hoping to meet an old friend. One day while Roberta and Lloyd were walking hand and hand by the patio watching the sunrise, a tree nymph happened to pass by. Of course, neither Lloyd nor Roberta knew, but since Roberta has been there longer, she knew that this place was special. She thought loudly about wishing she could share her life with Lloyd without having to talk so much and since she also doesn’t remember some of the things she did, and Lloyd kinda hoped for something similar too as they started into the horizon. The tree nymph, being magical and all, heard their wishes and secretly granted them what they wanted. Their hands slowly started to meld into each other, not just their hands but their neural network, veins and arteries as well. It was a shock, one that could’ve taken either their life but since they’re connected, the shock was not as intense. It was Roberta who first took them on a trip to memory lane, this was a time when she tamed a mustang out at a ranch where she was working when she was about 16 years old. She was determined she could do it just to prove to the guys that she’s as hard as they are. At first, she was scared when she mounted the mustang, but as she got used to the motions, it got easier and easier. She even started to enjoy it. When the mustang finally stopped bucking her off, she took the horse on a long ride to the prairies and watched the stars that night. It was magical. And after that memory, Roberta and Lloyd literally untangled and looked at each other. He smiled understanding what just happened and enveloped her in a tight hug. She felt happy, relieved and full all at once. So for the next few days, they shared each other’s life every moment that no one was looking, because seeing two hands melded into one would freak anyone out. They found a secluded area by the lake where they’d often share. Lloyd wondered what would happen if they melded together fully? Roberta was a little hesitant, but her fearless heart was up for it. They both disrobed, held both hands together and started to meld, but they pressed their bodies closer and they started merging together, like two melted butters, Their hair, their skin, their muscles, organs and hearts started to be one. It was like fitting into a mold. They know that they can take the shock because there’s two of them, but what they didn’t know is that in merging, they have invoked a very old magic. It was the magic of creation, together they created life in the form of a tree. They will be connected and share everything with each other for the life of the tree.
It’s hard being 85, too many aches, memory is fading, too many injuries too many friends lost. Roberta hobbled through the halls of the assisted home that she was staying at. It was nice enough; TV sets for every room, the nurses and the helpers are polite, they have a gym, pool, an entertainment room that has a piano and guitar, and a bonus karaoke machine. It was nice enough but Roberta misses her youth and most of all she misses the hugs her husband used to give her. Lloyd was new to the home. He arrived sometime two days ago but was in bed rest. He fell in his bathroom and that’s what prompted his kids to send him to the home. They were not okay with him living alone anymore. He’s 87, and still insists on driving and doing things for himself. This was a compromise so his children will not put him in a dreaded nursing home. It’s going to be quite a change, and one that he hopes he won’t regret. Lloyd was instructed to walk around the facility the next day so that he’ll heal faster. He did, slowly at first but when he saw Roberta, he started walking a little bit straighter and faster. Roberta was looking at the distance. The assisted home was situated near a lake, so the residents can enjoy watching the sunrise every morning or people just being on the lake. Today was a stormy day, so there was no one in the lake besides ducks and geese. She watched them anyway and the small tides caused by the winds. She was remembering the time when she kayaked through a storm, it was a fun time. She didn’t mind getting wet at all, and she loved the challenge. Lloyd stared at her for a minute, watching her small smile on her lips. He approached her and before introducing himself, he did the clearing the throat thing. It made her chuckle, it was very 50s. She turned to face him and smiled to herself, thinking this man is handsome. After the pleasantries, they decided on having breakfast together. It was cornbeef and hashbrowns morning, Roberta’s favorite. The breakfast turned to lunch together and then again dinner. Needless to say, they grew fond of each other’s company and at their age, you don’t really play games anymore. You learn to just do because tomorrow may not come, as cliche as that sounds. But what Lloyd doesn’t know is that the area where the home sits is where nymphs and dryads often pass by. It used to be a gathering place for them and from time to time, they’d pass by hoping to meet an old friend. One day while Roberta and Lloyd were walking hand and hand by the patio watching the sunrise, a tree nymph happened to pass by. Of course, neither Lloyd nor Roberta knew, but since Roberta has been there longer, she knew that this place was special. She thought loudly about wishing she could share her life with Lloyd without having to talk so much and since she also doesn’t remember some of the things she did, and Lloyd kinda hoped for something similar too as they started into the horizon. The tree nymph, being magical and all, heard their wishes and secretly granted them what they wanted. Their hands slowly started to meld into each other, not just their hands but their neural network, veins and arteries as well. It was a shock, one that could’ve taken either their life but since they’re connected, the shock was not as intense. It was Roberta who first took them on a trip to memory lane, this was a time when she tamed a mustang out at a ranch where she was working when she was about 16 years old. She was determined she could do it just to prove to the guys that she’s as hard as they are. At first, she was scared when she mounted the mustang, but as she got used to the motions, it got easier and easier. She even started to enjoy it. When the mustang finally stopped bucking her off, she took the horse on a long ride to the prairies and watched the stars that night. It was magical. And after that memory, Roberta and Lloyd literally untangled and looked at each other. He smiled understanding what just happened and enveloped her in a tight hug. She felt happy, relieved and full all at once. So for the next few days, they shared each other’s life every moment that no one was looking, because seeing two hands melded into one would freak anyone out. They found a secluded area by the lake where they’d often share. Lloyd wondered what would happen if they melded together fully? Roberta was a little hesitant, but her fearless heart was up for it. They both disrobed, held both hands together and started to meld, but they pressed their bodies closer and they started merging together, like two melted butters, Their hair, their skin, their muscles, organs and hearts started to be one. It was like fitting into a mold. They know that they can take the shock because there’s two of them, but what they didn’t know is that in merging, they have invoked a very old magic. It was the magic of creation, together they created life in the form of a tree. They will be connected and share everything with each other for the life of the tree.