One Second Chance
Tracy Seeger
Sunlight. A window. Verity Andrews watched and waited for death. She was only fifty-three, but heart failure was killing her. She hadn't had a bad life really. She had a reputation as a successful lawyer, she could afford the best care, a nice house. But her last days were not bringing her much peace. Divorced with no children and no other family, she was lonely. Her nurses were her only company, and her lawyer her only visitor. She had made some tough decisions early in her life, maybe bad ones. And this was how her life had turned out, alone and dying at fifty-three. She tried not to feel bitter, but it was hard. She hadn't expected this ending. A tear slipped from her eye, and she gasped for breath, grabbing the nearby oxygen mask. As she breathed deep, the lightheadedness began to fade, and she noticed a glow in the corner. The glow grew brighter and brighter, until the room was filled and Verity had to shield her eyes. She was shocked to hear a soft voice speak to her.
"Verity."
Terrified, she opened one eye a crack. What she saw instantly erased all her fear. A brightly glowing figure stood quietly at the foot of her bed. Slowly it moved around to her side, and gently took her hand. She was surprised to find it was solid, warm.
"Are you...?" She couldn't find the words.
"Am I an Angel? Yes," replied the figure.
Verity suddenly began to feel breathless again. The angel put his hand on her chest, and all the pain and tightness disappeared. Verity was shocked. "What did you just do?"
"I have healed you temporarily. We have a journey to take, and I need you healthy for it."
"A journey? What do you mean?"
"You're being offered a second chance Verity. If you choose to take it."
"You mean, I'm cured?"
"No. You're being offered an even greater gift."
"I don't understand."
"You are being offered the chance to go back and change one thing from your past."
"So I can avoid getting this illness?"
"No. The time, place and method of your death have been set since the moment you were conceived."
"Then what is this great gift you're talking about?"
"Is there anything from your life that you regret?"
"Well, there are many things I would probably do differently if I had the chance."
"Are you happy Verity?"
She couldn't prevent a tear from slipping down her cheek. "This is not how I planned to spend my last days."
"Exactly. Would you like to change that?"
"How?"
"I have the power to take you back in time to a point in your life where you can change something you said or did."
"Anything?"
"Anything, any time, anywhere."
"But why? I mean, why me?"
"Why not you? Don't you think you deserve it?"
"Well, I haven't done anything special in my life, and I've never even been to church."
"Ours is not to reason why, Verity. This gift is being offered to you, all you need to do is either accept or reject it."
Verity looked out of her bedroom window. She did not want to enter death feeling the way she did. She wasn't sure what she believed happened after death, but the presence of the angel suggested there might be something more. She decided she had nothing to lose. "I accept."
"I knew you would," said the angel with a smile.
Verity returned the smile. "So what happens now?"
"That's up to you."
"Up to me?"
"What is it you would like to change?"
"Wow. That's a big decision. How long do I have to decide?"
"You must decide right now."
"Immediately? I can't make such an important decision so quickly!"
"I think you already know in your heart what it is you wish you had done differently."
Verity thought for a moment, then lowered her eyes. "The abortion?"
"That is what weighs heaviest on your soul."
She nodded. She had never wanted to admit it to herself, but deep inside she had always felt the abortion she'd had as a teenager was the wrong decision, and she'd often wondered what might have been. "So I can go back and change that?"
"Yes. You are being given the chance to make that decision again."
"And then what? Will I live my life over again from that point?"
"No. We will return here. As I said earlier, the time and place of your death have already been determined. But you will come back to this point in time aware of the different path your life took after you changed that one action."
Verity nodded her head. "I see. Okay, I'm ready."
The angel vanished without another word, and the room suddenly began to fill with a blinding light. Then the air began to swirl around, as if she were in a tornado. A roar filled her ears and she covered her head with her hands. Abruptly, everything stopped. She cautiously opened her eyes, and tried to figure out where she was. Then it hit her. She was standing outside the abortion clinic. In a flash everything came back to her. The decision had seemed so simple at the time. She was only seventeen, in her junior year of high school, and on track to graduate well. She was looking forward to going to Harvard. She loved her boyfriend, Josh, but she was not ready to settle down, and certainly not ready to have a baby. Josh didn't agree, and had begged her to go ahead with the pregnancy. However, she had made the decision to end it. It had been a horrible experience, but at the time she was sure she had done the right thing. Of course her relationship with Josh was over. Instead she focused all her energy on finishing high school, and eventually graduated from Harvard with honors. She had got a job at a big, well known law firm in the city, and soon worked her way up to the top. In the process she had married another of the company's top lawyers, but they had divorced just three years later, childless. Verity stared at the plain brick building as she remembered her past. She wondered how much of it would change after today? Suddenly she sensed a movement behind her. She turned, and came face to face with Josh. She hadn't seen him for over thirty-five years. She inhaled sharply.
"Josh!" He looked exactly as she remembered him.
"Verity, I'm not here to support you, I've come to ask you one more time not to do this, please."
Verity smiled and felt tears forming in her eyes. "It's okay Josh, I've changed my mind."
He looked at her with confusion in his eyes, and a glimmer of hope. "What do you mean? You were adamant before."
"I know, but I've had a long think about it, and about what my future might be like if I go ahead. I can't do it."
The relief that spread over Josh's face made Verity's heart swell. "Really? I don't know what to say! I have no idea what changed your mind, but you won't regret it. I will always support you and our child. In fact..." He got down on one knee right there. "Verity, will you marry me?"
With tears streaming down her face she dropped to the sidewalk with him. "Yes! I would love to!" They kissed and hugged and finally stood up again.
Josh took her hand. "Let's go home," he said, his eyes full of love.
"Yes, take me home."
As they walked to the bus stop, hand in hand, Verity wondered how much longer this day would last. The angel had said she would return to the present after she had made the change, not relive her life again. Not that she wanted to leave. She wished she could stay to live her life over again. As she sat on the bus next to Josh, her head resting on his shoulder and a contented smile on her face, she started to notice a buzzing in her ears. She raised her head just as the world turned to blackness.
For a moment there was nothing, no noise, no vision. Then she was back in her bedroom, laying in bed with the oxygen mask resting on her chest. She looked around in confusion for a moment, then felt a familiar tightness in her chest. She grabbed the mask and placed it over her face, breathing deeply. As the tightness subsided she looked around. She frowned a little, and let the mask drop from her face. The room was different. It was no longer on the second floor overlooking the vast grounds. Now she was on the ground floor, and through her window could see a suburban street. The decor was different too, even the bed and blankets. Gradually understanding came to her. Because of that one different decision all those years ago, her life had turned out quite differently.
Soon she remembered everything. Josh had stayed true to his promise to support her, and they had married as soon as she turned eighteen. Josh was able to finish high school, and graduated with reasonable grades. He did not go to college though, instead taking up an apprentice position with a local mechanic. Verity had finished her Junior year of high school, then had dropped out to have the baby. The baby, a girl they had named Suzie, had arrived on time and in perfect health. Verity never went to Harvard, choosing to give up her dreams of a career in law to become a stay at home mother. About a year after Suzie was born, Verity’s mother agreed to watch the baby for a few hours a week, enabling Verity to take on a part time secretarial job. She and Josh struggled to make ends meet, but they were happy.
As she wallowed in the memories, Verity suddenly heard a commotion coming towards her room. The door burst open, and a small boy entered, closely followed by three adults, one her age, and two middle aged. She instantly knew that these were her husband, her daughter and son-in-law, and her grandson.
"Harvey! Slow down!" said Suzie as the young boy tried to scramble onto Verity’s bed. "Grandma needs her rest right now."
"It’s okay," said Verity, reaching out her hand to stroke Harvey’s hair. Josh gently lifted Harvey on to the bed, and he crawled up to Verity and snuggled up with her. She took him in her arms, laid back and closed her eyes. Gradually the memories of her old life faded away and the two of them fell asleep together.
* * * * *
Almost one month later, Verity was once again laying in bed staring out of the window. The house was quiet, everyone was downstairs. Suddenly a glow began to form at the foot of her bed. At first she was scared, but something told her this was nothing to be afraid of. Gradually a shape began to form, and soon she realized what it was. The memories of the angel’s last visit came flooding back. He came to stand beside her, and looked down into her eyes.
"Is it time?" she asked, not feeling any fear.
"Yes."
She nodded. "I’m ready."
"I know you are."
The glow began to fade again, and Verity laid back and closed her eyes. She was roused by the sound of people entering her room.
"Mom? Are you okay? Harvey said we had to come and see you. He was very insistent."
Verity opened her eyes again and smiled at her family. "It’s time," she whispered. She saw tears forming in her daughter’s eyes, and reached out her hands. Suzie and Josh took one each and sat on the edge of the bed. Harvey’s father lifted him up onto the bed too.
"Are you going to Heaven now Grandma?"
"Yes sweetheart."
"Are you scared?"
"No, I’m excited! Promise me you’ll look after your mom and your grandpa after I leave?"
He nodded solemnly. Verity looked around at the faces surrounding her. She was sorry to be leaving them, but at least she knew now that she’d had a good life, and was leaving a much better legacy behind than a few thousand dollars. The angel had given her a second chance, and now she knew she would always be remembered, and always loved.
Copyright © 2009 Tracy Seeger. All rights reserved.