Black Leaf

BASED ON A TRUE STORY

As I sat on the side of my mother hospital bed holding her hand, with a tight grip, I told her I loved her. "squeeze my hand if you hear me "I said'. At that moment I felt a soft gentle squeeze. I got up walked away and broke down. I was just a 14- year-old kid trying to be strong for my mother, When my father got the news, He didn't think twice about spending the $500 he saved over the years from working in the jail house kitchen to see the woman he'd loved all his life . He walked down the long hospital hallway with handcuffs on his wrists and shackles on his feet, when he entered her room and saw her lying there, he became that 12-year-old boy all over again. As he sat there crying uncontrollably, she opens her eyes in disbelief smiled and said everything is going to be ok.