Innocence and Dreams By Arthur S. Newman

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Innocence and Dreams

Part 1

"Mommy, mommy, guess what."

"I do not know dear. You are just going to have to tell me, Honey."

"We are going to do swan lake and I get to play the lead."

Wow, that is so awesome, that is great news, I am so excited for you, that is just fantastic. So are you ready to go home?"

"Can we stop and get some ice cream first?"

"I guess we can, but remember we have to get home before your daddy does, besides, your dad will want to hear your great news."

The little girls countenance dropped as if she had already forgotten about the good news.

Later that night at the dinner table all was quiet. No one spoke a word.

When dinner was over, the mom helped the little girl get prepared for bed time. After reading her a story she tucked her in and said, "Sweet dreams Honey."

As the mom walked down the hall, she could sense that something was wrong with her little girl.

When she got to her bedroom, she mentioned to her husband that, their little girl had been acting unusually strange.

"It is just your imagination. Did she mention anything, to you, did she say something? Maybe she is just nervous about being the lead in her ballerina class." He was quick to dismiss her feelings.

Part 2

In the middle of the night, the husband got up.

The wife asked, "Where are you going?"

"I am going to check on our little girl. Go back to sleep."

The wife could not dismiss the feeling that her husband had been acting strange, as well. This will be the third night in a row, that he has visited, their little girl. This was unusual behavior for him. He had never done this before, it had always, been her, responsibility to check in on their little girl.

He left the bedroom closing the door behind him.

Honey could hear her dad coming down the hall, she had not fallen asleep the last couple of nights. She hopped out of bed and sat down on the opposite side of the bed, out of sight of the door. She had her knees, pressed up to her chest, and arms wrapped around her legs, her head was buried in her knees.

As the dad turned the door knob, and the door slowly opened.

He saw that the bed was empty, he called out, "Honey, Honey, where are you?”

"Daddy's not going to hurt or harm you, I just want to hold, you."
Honey sat quiet, shaking and shivering, she tried to Imagine herself on a stage, dancing and free from all worries.

She could see herself looking out at the audience as she performed. She glided across the floor, she was free and living her dream. The stage was aglow, with many lights, but none shined as bright as she did. When her performance had come to an end. The crowd stood and the rupture of applause sounded throughout the auditorium. When the applause was done, which went on forever. The conductor said, "I, present, to you Honey Love and company." And the audience started again, with a standing ovation. The applause was like the waves of the ocean crashing upon the shore as they road from one side of the room to the other, there was not, a dry eye in the room.

Part 3

As the father entered the room, he had not heard the mother come down the hall.

The mother could not let it go, she was not aware of what was going on, but it was evident something was wrong.

She ran past him and said the most comforting words a child could hear. "Honey, mommy is here, and I will always be here for you, I will never let anything happen to you, no matter who is trying to harm you." She bent down and scooped up her bundle of joy.

The little boy sat in the nurse's office as she tended to the bruise on his cheek, this is the third time he had been to the nurse's office, this week.

"What happened this time, Buster?”

"My friends and I got a little rough when we were playing, it's really nothing."

"Why did you become a nurse?" Asked the boy.

"I wanted to help people.”

The little boy said. "I want to fix people too."

Later in the afternoon, when all the kids had left, the little boy was still sitting outside on the bench when the nurse was leaving. This was the third time his mom was late picking him up this week.

She sat down beside him, "I will wait here with you until your mom comes."

"She probably got stuck at work again." The little boy spoke softly.
Two hours had passed, and several attempts at calling the mom had failed.

"Maybe she is stuck in traffic."

"I will take you home, would you like that?”

"Maybe I can spend the night at your house." Said the little boy.

"I'm afraid that would not be appropriate, come let me take you home."

The drive home was a quiet drive, the boy was pensive, as they pulled up to Buster's house, he started to shed a tear.

"What, is it Buster, is your mother's car not here?”

Part 4

As they walked up the sidewalk and reached the door, it opened, and his mom grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the house, slamming the door behind her.

The nurse could hear the mom screaming, "You good for nothing kid, I wish you were never born, you are more trouble than you are worth, I bet you told that lady all your lies.”

The nurse turned and walked away, shaking her head, with a deep sorrow. She spoke, "It does not have to be this way.”

Inside the house, the mom was yelling tormenting and taunting the little boy.

She berated him, "You will never amount to anything, your father was a worthless man and so you will become one too, you can't do anything right."

All the while, Buster was curled up in the corner in the fetal position, trying to imagine being a doctor in a far away land, helping those less fortunate.

His name had spread, throughout the world, he was known from one corner of the earth to the other, because of all the good he had done for the sick, and poor. Indeed, he had mended broken bones, healed and comforted those suffering from dreaded illnesses, giving the blind their sight. His good works had culminated into this one single night, this was his time, many had gathered to show him honor. When the presenter recounted all that he had accomplished for those less fortunate, this moved the crowd. The next words brought Buster's world to a stand still, "Ladies and gentleman, it is my esteemed pleasure to present to Mr. Buster Brown the Nobel Peace Prize.”

The nurse could not let it go, she was not aware of what was going on, but it was evident something was wrong.

She dialed 9, 1, 1, and when the police arrived, they entered the home.

The nurse ran past the mom and said the most comforting words a child could hear. "Buster, we are here, and we will always be here for you, we will never let anything happen to you, no matter who is trying to harm you." She bent down and scooped up the bundle of joy.

Part 5