Part One. @thehive/life-and-then

Part Two. @thehive/life-and-then-s4rd0e

Part Three. @thehive/life-and-then-s54jh5

... Cont'd.
*I enquired where little rea was.

Seeing nothing that needs immediate attention, that's a good excuse for a tea break. Drinking tea and drifting off to his own world. The well spoken lady popped in to the shop. Tom enquired after young Rea. He had not seen her the past few days.

Young Rea had been in hospital. At that moment, Tom's mind went to all sorts of things. The same questions that would go through your own mind. Is she okay? What was wrong? Is she still in hospital?

One hundred plus seizures, 128 if I remember right, all in one day. The mind could find no words. The hard shell he had spent years building and reinforcing, crumbled to dust. A hollow empty filled the space where the shell of his heart was. and sunk low to the gut. This wasn't fair. What could he do for things not to be so bad. Well, nothing, nothing at all.

Rea had brain surgery and they put a bridge between the two side of the brain. No attacks since. It would be a couple of days before Tom seen Rea when she visited the shop.

Rea came to the shop. Just inside the doors Tom was filling the drinks unit. Questions came first. Did Tom know where she was? Tom knew the answers to some of the questions this time though. He still replied "No tell me"

Rea. I was in hospital.

Tom. Ooh that sounds serious.

Rea. I had a brain operation.

Tom. Did they add more brains or take some out?

Rea. I don't know.

Tom. I think they put some in because you look very smart today.

That got half a smile, but Tom thought the pun was missed. Rea told Tom a bit more about life and then skipped away.

Later, that day or within the next two. Tom met the lady in the shop and enquired if he could give Rea a present, This was an older gift Tom picked up for no reason whatsoever. Other than someday he might know someone who might like it. A loom set, kids make bracelets or things out of elastic bands. This one was an Hello Kitty loom. Unsure if it was too old or too young a gift for a 7 year old. In his mind the best he could do. Was find a way to share a smile.

The lady assured Tom, it would be fine.

Tom brought the loom to work wrapped it. Two days later he passed it to one of Rea's brothers to bring home. It didn't make it home. It came back to the shop with Rea one minute later. She was on her way to the shop as he was returning home.

Rea thanked Tom and asked what it was. You will need to wait until you get home and open it to see. With that, getting back home was now the immediate goal.

A few days later. The question was asked why? Rea asked Tom why he had given the gift. How could he explain. When he heard her news of the hospital, He was stuck for words and his heart melted like snow under a desert sun.

He gave a simple reply, Because you were nice to me.