Treasures

The Magic Coin

All through his childhood John had been fascinated by stories about finding treasure. Whenever he saw a rainbow he would try to find the crock of gold. His favourite stories were about treasure islands, leprechaun's secret treasure, pirates  He spent a lot of time thinking about the wishes he would make if ever he captured a leprechaun or unearthed some buried treasure in the garden which would include a magic lamp or wand.
His brother Colin was scornful of anything to do with magic. He was six years older than John and tough and strong. He was captain of the Rugby team, the cricket team and when their dad left home took up boxing at the local Leisure centre.

When John was seven years old his best friend Scott emigrated to Australia. John was heartbroken.   Colin found him crying in the garden one day after school. He'd put his arm round John's shoulders and wiped away the tears.

'Come on little fellow, you've still got me. Tell you what, why don't we dig a hole, maybe we could get to Australia, it's right on the other side of the world.'

John couldn't help laughing , he knew you couldn't dig to Australia but he joined in the digging anyway. They dug and dug and he felt much better.
  He 'd just stood up to straighten his back when Colin called out,

'Wow, look what I've found. This must be really valuable. It looks like a magic coin. I bet you could wish for anything you like just by holding on to this.'

He handed it to John,

'Here, you have it, you're the one that believes in all that stuff. Put it in your pocket and wish away. never show it to anyone though or it will lose its power. Just make sure you don't turn me into a pumpkin or something.'

John looked at the coin, he felt his heart beat fast with excitement. That night his mum put it in a saucer of vinegar and in the morning it was really shiny. There was a man's head on one side and a badge on the other.
He put it in his pocket and hugged his brother, he was going to make so many wishes now, everything would be alright

John's favourite wish was that his mother and father would get married again. There would be a big wedding with a huge cake and lots of dancing and laughter. His uncle would make jokes and his mother would smile again. His father would look at her with love in his eyes and they would be a proper family once more.

As the years went by John carried on wishing. He kept the magic coin in his pocket and every day made a wish. While he was walking home from school he'd wish that his mother had made him a nice tea. He wished that his father would visit. He wished that his father would take them on holiday. He wished that he'd pass his driving test and he wished and wished that  Felicity Markham would go out with him.
Then he wished that she'd want to marry him, and he always, always wished that Colin would be safe.

Lately he'd been wishing a lot for Colin that he would come back home from his high risk job working as a diver on the North Sea oil platforms. Colin was an expert diver and lead a team of men. He was always the last one up to the surface. He'd won awards for his bravery. Their mum had them all lined up on the mantlepiece.

Not long after John and Felicity got married they found out they were expecting a baby. John took the magic coin out of his pocket. It had been there all these years bringing him luck. He'd got everything he'd wanted and now he was going to have the chance to create the family he had never had. He wished that he would be a good dad.

He couldn't wait to tell Colin but when he took out his phone to text him there was a message from his mum to ring her straight away.

She was sobbing as she told him that Colin was in a bad way. He'd had an accident saving the life of one of his men.  He had been flown by emergency helicopter from the North Sea and they didn't know if he would make it. She gave him the name of the hospital and told him to go, she would follow as soon as she could.

 John rang Felicity to say what had happened and then took grapes, books, chocolates and some of the saucy mags that he knew his brother liked so much. He took the magic coin out of  his pocket and gripped it hard and wished and wished with all his might.

The hospital car park was full. He waited in the car at the entrance to the car park. He looked down on his lap and was surprised to see his hands clasped tightly together.

He looked up to the sky. 'Please, please, please, let Colin be alright.'

There was a rap on the window.

'If you're waiting for a space mate, I'm on my way out. The red Fiesta over there.'
 John parked the car and grabbed his gifts for Colin and went to find the ward. His phone rang, it was Felicity.

'Just to say I'm thinking of you John, send your brother my love and tell him I'll come next time. It's best that it's just you today.' Her voice changed, excited and joyful she whispered, 'I felt the baby move today, it's a sign. Everything will be alright.'

As he walked in to the ward John had to try hard not to cry at the sight of his brother. He was all bandaged up and his thick curly hair had been cut  so short you could see his scalp. His right leg was in a splint and his arms were limp at his sides. Only when he turned and caught sight of John was there a sign of the handsome man he was. His face lit up with a radiant smile and he struggled to sit up.

'Hey little brother look at you! Bet you've been wishing on your magic coin cos I feel better already.'

He sank back on the pillows and a pretty nurse rushed up to steady him.

Colin winked at her and she giggled.

 John sat down on the chair by the bed.

'You had us worried all right, don't go doing that any more. Here just a few things to keep you going. Felicity asked me to make a list of all the things you need, and she'll come with me tomorrow.'

He popped a grape into Colin's mouth and then took one for himself.

'Felicity's great, you chose well there mate. Tell her I'll be over soon and want one of her special roasts.'

Colin moved his arm and the magazines fell on the floor. The nurse came over to pick them up and when she saw the covers she laughed and carefully placed them next to him. She turned to John,

'You must be the little brother he talks about so much. Nice to meet you. My name's Lisa, you've got a great brother and no need to worry about him he's going to be fine. He had us worried when they brought him in but the doctors say they've never known any one so tough. He's a fighter.'

She paused and put her hand on Colin's shoulder,

'I'm going to look after him, personally.'

She gave Colin a look of such tenderness and admiration that John caught his breath. There was an intensity of feeling there that hinted at a lot more than a professional interest.

Hope and relief flooded through John and he knew just how frightened he had been, how much his brother meant to him, how much he had been praying every day all of his life that his brother would be all right, and it was only now he realised it.
All these years it had been his brother that had made all his wishes come true, it was him. The force of the emotion swept over him and he struggled to keep his voice light.

'You're on to a good thing there Colin, I think she's got the hots for you. I don't know how you do it with your leg stuck up in the air and bandages everywhere.'

Colin gave one of his wicked grins, 'Not everywhere mate, not everywhere.'

Later that evening when the visitors had left and there was a stillness on the ward Lisa came to Colin and sat by his bed. She took his hand in hers and gently squeezed it.
Colin closed his eyes.
He thought of his brother and how all the wishes he had made for him had come true. He was so proud of him. When their dad left he was determined to protect his little brother and his mother and all his energy had gone on them.
John had always excelled at school and university and now had found true love.
 He returned the squeeze to Lisa's hand and then opened his eyes and smiled at her.

It was time to make wishes for himself now.

Hidden Treasure

 The early spring sunshine was warm on Sandra's face. She felt her hair lift up in the gentle breeze and she breathed deeply, revelling in the scent of the blossom.  She gazed on the sight of the daffodils and tulips lit up like beacons in the rays of the sun. What seemed to her the miracle of bulbs that have been dry and brown all winter,  blooming and blossoming in a myriad of colours left her totally in awe. It was the same in Autumn when the leaves turn such stunning shades of gold, russet, brown, yellow, Sandra was in awe of Mother Nature's treasures.
 The sight of a beautiful display of flowers that appear in a pot that had been abandoned in a corner, thinking they were dried up and useless and really should be thrown away, were a constant form of delight and wonder. The sun that moves across the sky with the changing seasons and goes to Australia when it's time to go home, never loses its appeal and fascination. the seas and oceans that don't drop off the Earth in a great whoosh. Somewhere in the depths of her mind she roughly knew the scientific explanations for all these things but they are still everyday miracles for her. So much beauty, so many wonderful things happening every day that blew away all the cobwebs of the negative and painful thoughts that appeared uninvited. The memory of her husband Tom telling her that he was going to leave her, that he'd fallen in love with the new secretary in his company. The anguish when he told her that he was going to be a father again at the age of sixty six.

Sandra looked down at her granddaughter, Isabella, the little hand holding hers, the little face that looked up at her so earnestly. They were in the park and waiting to meet her daughter Emma for tea in the little café.

Isabella stopped and looked in the grass,

'Look nanny, the Fairy Queen has lost some of the petals from her crown. Do you think some of her treasure is near here.'

They had been looking for treasure all afternoon. Isabella was sure that the fairies kept their treasure in the park. She knelt down and picked up some of the blossom that had fallen from the wild cherry tree, and held it out to Sandra on the palm of her hand. Sandra turned to her granddaughter and caught her breath. She looked so pretty, so sweet, just so precious, a real treasure. One of life's treasures to be sure. Some of the blossom had settled in her hair, she looked like a fairy queen herself. She was wearing a pink jacket, pink leggings and a unicorn hairband. Their eyes locked and Isabella rushed towards her and wrapped her arms round Sandra's legs. Her voice was muffled when she spoke,
'I love you nanny.' She looked up, her eyes shining and her cheeks rosy from the fresh air.
' The park is a magic kingdom, there must be lots of fairies her. Do you think they fly on the blackbirds back when we're not looking? Do you think they have nests like the birds or live inside the tree trunks?'

Isabella broke off as she caught sight of her mother and ran with her arms outstretched towards her. Emma knelt down and held her arms out, picked up her little daughter and swung her round.  Sandra stood quite still, her face widening into a broad smile as she took in the sight.
The park wearing its spring time colours, the rays of the sun piercing the fresh green leaves, the children dressed in their bright colours, the blue sky and the happy song of the birds filled her heart with joy.

Emma beckoned her over,

'Come on mum early Mothers day treat for you today. Cream tea on me.'

As she walked across to join them a sentence came into her head, something her own mother used to say. She remembered her mother saying it in a park a bit like this, a long time ago, it must have been springtime because she knew there had been blossom floating around. Her mother had sat down on a bench and taken Sandra on to her knee, she'd spoken into her hair, Sandra remembered her warm breath,

'Never forget that the most wonderful place where miracles happen, where there is real treasure to be found, where shining secrets are kept is your heart.'