Chapter 9 - The Birthday Light
Nora’s birthday party was small.
No grand military event.
No reporters.
No hospital administrators.
Just Daniel, his mother, a few children from school, Sarah, and a backyard decorated with paper lanterns.
Nora had one request.
No bright overhead lights.
Daniel had smiled.
“Done.”
Instead, soft lanterns hung from the trees.
At first, Sarah worried Nora might be avoiding something.
But Nora ran beneath them.
Laughing.
Unafraid.
Her father watched from the porch.
Sarah stood beside him.
“She’s doing better.”
Daniel nodded.
“She still checks her ear sometimes.”
“That may take time.”
“I check mine too.”
Sarah laughed.
Daniel looked at her.
“I’m serious.”
“I know.”
Nora suddenly ran toward them.
“Cake!”
Everyone gathered.
Seven candles had become eight.
Nora insisted she was “almost nine.”
Daniel lit the candles.
For a moment, Nora became quiet.
The lights flickered.
Sarah saw Nora’s hand begin to rise toward her ear.
Daniel saw it too.
Neither panicked.
Nora paused.
She looked at Sarah.
Then at her father.
Sarah said softly, “What do you notice?”
Nora listened.
The wind moved through the trees.
A branch scratched lightly against the wooden fence.
Nora stared.
Then smiled.
“It’s just a tree.”
Daniel exhaled.
Nora blew out the candles.
Everyone cheered.
Later, Sarah found Nora sitting alone near the garden.
“Everything okay?”
Nora nodded.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Why did you believe me?”
Sarah sat beside her.
“Because you were trying to tell us something.”
“Even when I didn’t know what?”
“Especially then.”
Nora looked at the sky.
“What if people don’t believe me next time?”
Sarah thought.
Then she said, “Find someone else.”
Nora looked at her.
“And if they don’t?”
“Keep going.”
“What if nobody does?”
Sarah smiled.
“There will always be someone who listens.”
Nora considered that.
“You promise?”
Sarah looked toward Daniel.
He was watching them.
Then she looked back at Nora.
May you like
“I promise to be one of them.”
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