The Gift
"Your daughter's nightmares are giving me cause to worry these days," Sarah told her husband while they were watching TV on a Saturday evening.
"Did she have another one recently?" He asked.
"John, are you for real? was it not you and I that heard and saw her sobbing in her sleep last night?" She asked angrily.
He stood up and dropped the remote on the center table without saying a word, and acted as if he was going to the restroom, then hugged her from the rear, and said "Come on babe, I was only pulling your legs."
Sarah turned and looked at him, "you know I thought, you were going to walk out on me," she replied laughing.
"How would I do that to my angel?" he responded, chuckling. "But to be honest, I am also worried about her situation. What do you think we do?" He inquired, his head resting on her shoulder.
"Well, babe, I don't know but I believe there is definitely something we can do to help our little girl," she replied.
While they were still talking, Favor walked into the sitting holding her purple backpack with both hands. "Good afternoon Daddy, Good afternoon Mommy," she bent and greeted.
"Afternoon, my angel," the Mother replied.
"Welcome back honey," the father also responded.
"Take your bag inside, then head to the bathroom and take your bathe, when you are done, get your food from the kitchen and treat your baby's stomach well," the mother instructed
Favor beamed, "okay mommy," she replied as she walked to her room.
Sarah and John got married fourteen years ago, they spent four years without a child. On the verge of giving up on having babies, they had Favor, after, they never had any children again.
Favor was a very smart and beautiful girl, her parents cherished her so much and provided whatever she needed but were also careful enough not to spoil her.
She was very fine until she clocked ten, and she started having some weird dreams. Sometimes she wakes up from sleep and starts crying other times she sobs while sleeping. Funny enough, whenever her parents ask her about the dreams she doesn't remember but one can tell with the looks on her face that it was a nightmare.
The parents got so worried about her and tried many things that didn't work, they even took her to a witch doctor, who performed rituals and gave them a charm which he called a "dreamcatcher" and instructed them to always place it under her pillow by night as she sleeps, all to no avail.
While John was taking his bath one fateful day, his phone began to ring. "Babe, please help me with my phone," he shouted from the bathroom.
"Why didn't you take it to the bathroom with you? I don't want these eggs to get burnt," Sarah replied from the kitchen. "It's Mommy," she added on her way bringing the phone.
"Don't worry, just hold the phone, I am done bathing, I'll call her back," he responded.
When he finished dressing up, he collected the phone from his wife and returned his mother's call.
"Hello John, seems you were busy when I called," the mom inquired
"Not really, I was taking my bath," John responded
"Okay, how is your family?" She asked
"They are fine, how are you and your work?" He replied.
"Well, fine but, I am missing you. Won't you come and spend this holiday at my place? Let me get to see my beautiful granddaughter and her mother as well, it's been five years John," Mrs Nana pleaded.
Hmm, John sighed and said, "Mommy, I'll inquire from my wife and give you feedback." They talked at length after which he handed the phone to his wife and also Favor and they all talked to their satisfaction.
After the call, he related the issue of going for a break at his mother's place to Sarah and she was pleased with it.
During the summer holiday, they travel down to Doma. His Mother was so happy to see them.
She already prepared some local dishes for them and they all ate and had fun. Mrs Nana held Favor on her lap for hours, she must have been very happy seeing her grandchild after such a long period of time.
That night while they were sleeping, favor started sobbing again, this time around calling "Mommy" and "Daddy." Unfortunately, her parents were deeply asleep too.
When it became persistent, it woke Mrs Nana, she quickly left her room to Favor's room and turned on the light, and she saw Favor struggling on the bed. She shouted, "John" as she woke Favor up.
When the parents arrived, they saw Nana, carrying Favor on her lap, "sit down," she told the parents.
"How long has she been going through this?" Nana asked.
"Through what?" John answered, trying to pretend.
Mrs. Nana gave him a weird look and he said "Some months ago, since she turned ten."
Hmm, she sighed, "And you are just informing me? your late Father also suffered the same thing, it is said to be common with the first child of the family.
The divine opens their eyes to see things beyond this realm.
But Favor is too young to handle things like these," Mrs Nana narrated.
"But what do we do Mom? My Baby is suffering," Sarah inquired.
Mrs Nana stood up and entered her room and brought a ring. "Here, she handed it over to John, put it on the left hand on her smallest finger," she ordered.
He quickly did, "it is finished, this will fortify her from all bad dreams, when she is grown enough to handle them, the ring will fall off from her finger by itself," Mrs. Nana added.
"How did you know all this, Mom?" John asked, looking surprised.
She laughed, and replied, "I am ancient honey, i am a priestess, in the days of old, my family were fondly called "dreamcatchers" because of our divine ability to trap bad dreams and let good ones prevail in Doma, and your dad's family are seers. You didn't manifest any of the gifts while you were young.
So, we didn't bother to train you, technology also came and things changed. I never imagined that your child would possess the gift. I expected your father to tell you this long ago but he didn't until his demise. Am sorry son."
John buried his hands in his pocket and sat on the bed looking at his innocent daughter.
After that night, Favor never struggled nor cried while sleeping again, most times she smiled while sleeping, and all the bad dreams stopped. When she turned eighteen, the ring fell off her finger and disappeared while she was washing the dishes.
When she told her dad about it, he laughed and said "It's time, my love."
"Time for what, dad?" she asked.
He looked at her brown cute eyes and said, "You will find out yourself, be strong, and use it wisely." She was confused but didn't say anything further.
Favor mastered her gift under the mentorship of her grandma and became a mighty seer subsequently, she was known for mighty deeds during her lifetime.
When our personal problems become bigger than us, the right thing is to find a trusted person to share it with.
Solutions are just round the corner if we can set ourselves lose.
That's true sir, when we share our problems, we will get the solution faster. Thanks for reading
Nice one Emreal
Glad to see there was a solution to Favour’s problems. Sometimes it's good to share with others our problems, especially those we can't solve.
Exactly, Sharing our problems with others some times leads to getting it solved. Thanks for reading ma
This story has a very nice arc. You develop the theme with patience. The introduction of Nana makes sense. Such a gift, such a tradition, rightfully comes from an elderly person. This story would have been good for the ring prompt too :)
The resolution does not come magically, suddenly--although there is magic in it. You lay the groundwork with the story about the grandfather. The characters are believable.
You do a good job here, @emreal. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Thank you so much, I am so happy to get this response 🥰❣️
Favor was lucky to have Nana to help her deal with her gift :)
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Exactly, if not for Nana, they would have just remained in the dark, without getting any solution.
Thanks for the support 🥰