The red clouds reflected off the steel gray water of the reservoir’s calm water. A slight breeze from the north caused small, rippled waves that bothered no one but a handful of mallards who were resting their wings. The breeze signaled the impending sunrise — A fresh start for the day. It was a clean slate for the humans who were beginning to stir. The morning called out like a child playing Hide ‘n’ Seek: “Ready or not, here I come.”
The husband opened one eye and then the other. The clock was three minutes from when the alarm was supposed to go off. With a slight grumble, he shut it off and thought about how cold the floor would be. His brain tried to con him into staying in bed, “Just a few more minutes.” Who was he to argue? But he had work to do. He had a vow to live up to.
Across the room, there was a hospital bed. In it was the beautiful woman he had once made a powerful vow to. “For better or worse, ” he remembered the priest’s words with a smile. They were just kids back then. And those were just words.. The better part was easy. Kids. Trips. Jobs. Love making. Smiles. Hugs. The little things. “Worse” was killing him inside. Three words had rocked their worlds: “You have cancer.” Three more words nearly destroyed them: “It is back.” His wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago. Six months ago, it had returned.
The man always got up at sunrise. He’d never take one for granted again.
He walked quietly over to his wife and gently stroked her bald head. The medicine that was supposed to cure her was nearly killing her. But she didn’t complain. No, cancer had met a powerful foe. A quiet warrior who battled with the strength of an army. The kids would forever know that their mother was a fighter. He rubbed the back of his hand against her sleeping face, “I’m so glad they have your genes.”
The red glow of the sunrise leaked through the room’s curtains. It represented hope burning away the darkness. He thought of their wedding again. While the “For Better” part of their vow had been the most enjoyable, “The Worse” had made them truly one. They were a team. And they were fighting this beast together.
He went across the house and gently woke the kids. They had a daughter and a son — old enough to understand what was going on but too young to be told the odds. Both kids had aged 20 years in the past four. Cancer had that effect on a family. The tears. The fear. The strain. Cancer’s attack on their mom had stolen their childhoods. “Time for school.” The kids poured sleepily out of their beds and headed to the kitchen.
“What did the doctor say about mom?” the son asked quietly.
Honesty within reason with the kids was rule #1 during this battle. “The doctor was impressed with your mom’s scans. They are serious, but the new drug is making progress. The trial is just beginning and there is hope.”
Hope. There was that word again. Like fire needs fuel and oxygen to burn, their family needed hope. And like the sunrise lighting their home, they were finally getting some.
“Your mom is an amazing woman. If anyone can beat this, it is her. Why? She has so much to live for. She is living for you.” The dad pointed at the two kids.
The kids finished up breakfast, got ready and quickly headed out to catch the bus. The dad drank his coffee from the front porch and waved (to their embarrassment he was sure) at them as they drove off for the day.
“Good,” he thought. “Now I can get to work.”
He went in and got his card ready. He then put the roses in vases and tied the balloons to her bed. He then went in the closet and got the box out. He opened it carefully and pulled the stuffed animal out. Carefully, he lifted her arm and put the animal under it. He leaned over and whispered three more words into her ear.
“Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Her right eye opened slowly and then both opened wide when she saw the 20 roses (one for every year they had been married.) She then felt the stuffed animal and picked it up and looked at it with curiosity.
“What’s this?” she asked with a weak voice.
He smiled and said, “It’s a toy Honey Badger. The Honey Badger is the most fearless and toughest animal on the planet. It can even survive being bit by a cobra.”
She thought of the YouTube video they had watched so many times and said, “Honey Badger don’t care.” she said, sounding like its narrator Randall. They laughed.
“The Honey Badger has got nothin’ on you, hon. Happy Valentine’s Day.” He kissed her on her bald head and wiped a tear from his face.
Like the cobra, cancer had met its match. The new experimental drug would work on her, sending her back into remission. They would share many more sunrises and Valentine’s Days together. And on that Valentine’s Day, a husband would learn that sometimes, “For Better” comes from “Worse.” And that his wife was way tougher than the Honey Badger.
