Spring Grace

Cindy sat up, as quickly as she could, and reached a hand towards the bedside table, desperately searching for her white handkerchief as a violent cough rocked her body. She felt as if her lungs were about to explode as her hand kept searching for the desired object. The taste of a sweet, warm liquid that filled her mouth, made her feel nauseous.

"Oh, Cindy," an older woman sighed as she scurried into the room to check up on her daughter. "How are you feeling, my child?" she asked worriedly as her hands fluttered uselessly around the sick girl.

Cindy looked up at the woman's slightly wrinkled face. "I'm alright, mother. It was only a cough," she whispered and tried to smile reassuringly. But the small drop of blood that dribbled down her chin had the opposite effect. The woman's eyes filled with tears as she looked down on this very thin and pale girl on the bed.

"You need to save your strength," the woman mumbled and tucked Cindy in.

"Mother, when will spring come? I want to see the flowers bloom once again."

"The spring will be here very soon. It is time for the fairies to come back and they will bring the spring with them. Now, try to get some sleep, dear child."

As the woman left the room and closed the door behind her, her thoughts revolved around Cindy's illness. Many doctors had visited and none of them could explain what was wrong with her beloved daughter. They had tried to help in every way but nothing helped. Cindy continued to grow weaker and she feared that she would lose her only child very soon.

A few hours later, as the woman was stirring the pot filled with chicken soup, she glanced out the window and noticed something greenish and smokey rolling down the mountainside. Her lips formed a sad smile as she knew that her daughters wish was coming true. Spring was finally here and that would make Cindy a very happy girl. She dropped the large wooden spoon next to the pot and rushed into Cindy's room.

"Cindy, wake up! Spring is coming," she panted when she stopped by the bed and watched the girl's eyes flutter open. Carefully she helped her child to get out of bed and walk to the window. Together they watched in amazement how the green mist moved in over the small village and the nearby countryside, engulfing everything in its path, including their own little house.

"It's really here," Cindy breathed and smiled widely. "Once again I will see the flowers bloom and the sun shine," she laughed as her mother helped her back into bed. "Thank you, mother, for letting me see this." The mother just smiled at Cindy and pulled the covers up to her chin before quietly exiting the room.

"I wish I could live as long as the flowers outside," Cindy whispered to no one and closed her eyes. In just a few minutes, she was sound asleep, dreaming about her beloved flowers that she befriended every spring.

The next morning when Cindy woke up, things were very different. She felt strong, healthy and full of life. In wonder, she jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen where her mother was cooking breakfast. “Mother! Something wonderful has happened,” she squealed and hugged her. “I have recovered from my sickness.”

“Cindy, what are you…” the woman trailed off and stared at her daughter as she ran back into her room to get dressed. Quickly she followed her daughter and found herself speechless as Cindy rummaged through her clothes before settling for a pink dress made of silk. “How did this happen?” she whispered and stared at her child brushing her long and curly dirty-blonde hair.

“I don’t know, mother, but I’m healthy and can go outside to play,” Cindy laughed and rushed outside.

Slowly she walked to the window and watched how Cindy started to tend to the flowerbed right outside. The trees had already small green buds and it wouldn’t take long until their yard would be filled with many, beautiful colors. With a worried sigh she went back to the kitchen. The woman didn’t understand the miracle that had occurred during one single night.

A month passed and during that time, Cindy spent all her days outside, nursing the flowers and making sure that they had enough water. She even spent hours talking to them, like they were her best friends. Not once did she show any signs of weakness or the illness that she had previously suffered from. This made her mother a very happy woman and she soon forgot all her worries.

One day a young man passed by their little cottage-like house and saw the beautiful Cindy running around on the green grass. He was mesmerized by this blonde angel in her champagne-colored dress. For several minutes he watched her laughing and doing pirouettes in the midst of the cherry blossoms as they rained down on her. To him it was like a drawing from a fairytale.

When the girl finally lied down on the fallen blossoms, with a smile on her face, he shyly walked up to her. “Hello, miss… I couldn’t help to notice you out here. Please, let me introduce myself. I’m Michael Storm and live in town,” he mumbled and pointed at the village at the foot of the mountains.

“Good day to you, Mr. Storm. I am Cindy Carter and live nearby. May I inquire what brings you here?”

“Please, call me Michael, and I was just taking a walk to enjoy the beauty of summer. May I accompany you on this very fine day?”
“Surely you can, Michael. I would also be delighted if you call me Cindy,” she smiled at him brightly.

The day was spent talking and Michael couldn’t help but to feel attraction towards this happy girl he had stumbled upon. Unbeknownst to him, the feelings were returned by Cindy. The thought of her never left his mind and he visited her every day at the little cottage.

Hours turned into days. Days turned into weeks, and before he knew it, 2 months had passed and he had finally gathered the courage to ask her to become his wife.

He gently knocked on the door while hiding the flower bouquet behind his back. The door was opened by Greta, Cindy’s mother. He watched Greta’s face lit up, as she was very fond of this young man. “She is in her room waiting for you,” Greta laughed quietly and watched him nervously step inside.

Cindy was lying on her bed reading fairytales when there was a knock on her door. “Come in,” she said, closed the book and put it beside her. A big smile formed on her face as she watched Michael step in and nervously walk up to her. In one swift motion he kneeled down beside her bed and took her hand in his.

Slowly he pulled out the bouquet from behind his back and looked up at her face. “Cindy Carter, ever since I met you I have felt immense happiness and cannot think of living my life without you. I would be honored if you’d agree to become my beloved wife.”

“Oh, Michael! I would love to be your wife,” she squeaked and gently took the flowers and let her fingers caress the soft petals while she admired them. “Michael, did you pick these flowers from outside my window?”

“Yes, dear, I did,” Michael laughed and kissed her cheek. “I wanted to give you the most beautiful flowers I could find, but they do not match your beauty, my beloved.”

“You picked the flowers from my window,” Cindy repeated and felt her eyes tear up. “No… No! How could you do that, Michael?”

“Cindy, my love… What is wrong?” he questioned as she dropped the flowers on her bed and tears started rolling down her cheeks.

“You shouldn’t have done that! Please, leave,” Cindy sobbed and turned away from him. Bewildered and sad, he did what she asked even though he couldn’t understand what he had done wrong. On the way he walked passed Greta who had heard everything and was hurrying towards Cindy’s room. When Greta opened her mouth to speak, he simply shook his head and walked outside.

For the next few days Cindy grew weaker, paler and thinner and Greta could do nothing but watch her daughter wither away, just like the flowers on her bedside table. Her heart ached as Cindy quickly just became an empty shell who wouldn’t speak to anyone. But Cindy knew something Greta didn’t. She knew that the fairies had granted her wish and before she closed her eyes for the last time, one sentence ran through her mind: "I wish I could live as long as the flowers outside."