by D. L. Dennis
All the staff members loved Jenny so it was not hard to find a volunteer to walk across the bridge. Miss Jenny and Rosa, a staff member, slowly walked down through the yard. As they approached the bridge, Jenny stood before the sign “Christopher’s Bridge” for several minutes. Rosa waited for Miss Jenny to cross the footbridge and walked slowly beside her. When they approached the bench, Miss Jenny stopped once again to look at the sign that said “Christopher’s Bench.” She looked at Rosa and said that she would like to be alone for a few minutes. Rosa walked over to one of the swings on the playground and sat down in it. As she did, she saw Miss Jenny sit down and pull a napkin out of her pocket. She unwrapped a cookie and then wrapped it back in the napkin. She turned it over and over in her hands and finally set it down on the bench beside her.
A gentle breeze ruffled Jenny’s snow white curls as she sat on the bench. Her face was aglow as though she was the happiest person on earth and a giggled escaped. Jenny was fingering the medallion around her neck. Rosa watched Jenny closely and saw her lips begin to move.
There were no other sounds but Miss Jenny’s voice, and she heard Miss Jenny say, “Hello, Christopher. You were my Special Angel. Even though our time together was many decades ago, I have never forgotten you.”
Rosa had many times heard the story of Miss Jenny’s plunge into the river, her miraculous escape, and the healing of her foot. Even so, she was surprised at Miss Jenny’s words. Rosa never took her eyes off Miss Jenny as she sat on the bench for several minutes. She saw Miss Jenny smile, raise her face to heaven, her face aglow with happiness. Miss Jenny slowly removed her sweater, placed it at the end of the bench and gently lowered her body with her head resting on her sweater. As she did this, Rosa heard her say, “Christopher, my Special Friend and Angel.”
Alarmed, Rosa walked over to the bench and saw that Jenny’s eyes were closed, but the smile had not faded. The St. Christopher’s medallion rested in her hand. Rosa knew that Jenny had breathed her last breath in the presence of her Angel, Christopher.
The End
