Mak pandang jenazah abang yang terbaring kaku. Walaupun muka sembap, perut membusung, namun mak nampak ketenangan pada wajah abang.

Mak ambil pisau. Mak potong baju-T yang tersarung pada tubuh abang, baju terkahir yang abang pakai, Mak terpaksa potong kerana kerana baju itu tidak muat untuk melalui perut abang yang 'buncit'.


Tapi, mak akan simpan baju itu. Mak tak cuci, sesekali boleh mak cium baju itu, sekadar pengubat rindu di hati. Kemudian abah kendong tubuh abang ke pangkin yang telah disediakan. Lalu abah dan mak mendikan jenazah abang. Hanya kami berdua. Mak tak mahu orang lain. Biar tangan abah dan mak yang menjiruskanair buat kali terakhir pada tubuh kecil abang.

Mak nampak anak mata abah, berkaca-kaca, setitis dua air matanya tumpah, mengalir di pipi, tapi cepat-cepat abah sapu dengan lengan sasanya.

"Bang, jangan menangis. Kita selesaikan hingga ke titisan terkahir," begitulah kata mak pada abah.

Setelah abang dimandikan, mak bantu abah kapankan jenazah abang. Pun hanya kami berdua juga. biar tangan kami saja yang memakai dan membalutkan kain terakhir pada tubuh abang.

"Kakak, jangan menangis. tak baik buat abang macam tu!"

Itu pesan mak semasa kakak-kakak mahu mengucup dahi abang buat kali terakhir. Abah pula selepas mengucup dahi abang, cepat-cepat abah menjauh memalingkan muka.

Mak nampak air mata abah berjuntaian membasahi pipi. Dan buat kali terakhir itu juga, mak usap dahi abang. Mak senyum, lantas kucup dahi abang.

Mak bisikkan: "Abang tunggu mak di syurga ya!"

Akhirnya, wajah abang 'ditutup'. Kami sembahyangkan abang buat kali terakhir. Ramai betul jemaah yang turut serta. Setelah itu, kami bawa abang ke tanah perkuburan.

Abah masuk ke dalam liang lahad untuk menyambut jenazah abang. Alhamdulillah, semua kerja dipermudahkan. Abang sudah selamat di sana.

Bertubi-tubi mak terima ucapan takziah daripada tetamu yang datang. Abang nak tahu, ada satu soalan yang mereka tanyakan pada mak.

Soalan itu asyik terngiang-ngiang di telinga mak. Tanya mereka: "Kakak uruskan jenazah anak kandung sendiri, tapi setitis air mata tak jatuh ke pipi? Kenapa kakak tidak menangis?" Itulah soalan mereka.

Mereka hairan kenapa mak tidak menangis, sebaliknya bibir mak tidak lekang dengan senyuman. Kenapa mak masih mampu tersenyum di saat memangku sekujur tubuh yang pernah berada dalam rahim mak dulu? Empat tahun dua bulan mak membesarkan Abang. Mak selak helaian demi helaian paparan kertas dalam diari yang sedikit usang itu. Aduh! Banyak sungguh memori yang tercatat di dalamnya. Membacanya bagaikan meruntun jiwa mak kembali mengenangkan perjalanan derita Abang sejak lahir hingga menghembuskan nafas terakhir. Mata mak terpaku pada catatan peristiwa lebih kurang tiga bulan sebelum Abang pergi. Mak rasa, di sinilah terkandung jawapan yang mak cari-cari. Jawapan untuk soalan yang mereka tanya kenapa mak tidak menangis?

Mak akan bacakan sedikit rentetan diari ini supaya mereka tahu kenapa mak tidak menangis, sayang.

Januari 2011- Perut Abang semakin membusung kerana hati membengkak. kata doktor, semua organ dalaman Abang sudah rosak, sudah 'reput'. Tidak boleh diselamatkan lagi. Tidak mengapa. Hati mak berkata, cukuplah! Tidak akan ada lagi pembedahan untuk Abang.

26 Februari 2011- Hari ini ulang tahun ke-4 abang. Dua hari sebelum itu, mak tanya, abang nak kek apa? Abang jawab, nak kek lori sampah! Hah Hah.. Tergelak mak. Abang suka sangat melihat lori sampah yang lalu setiap pagi depan rumah. Sebab itu abang nak kek bentuk lori sampah, Puas mak dan abah melilau sekitar Kuala Lumpur , tetapi tak jumpa kek macam tu. Tak ada yang sanggup buat kek macam yang Abang minta. Mak kecewa! Selama ini, mak tunaikan apa saja permintaan Abang, tapi kali ini mak gagal. Mak belikan kek coklat strawberi sebagai pengganti. Dengan perut membusung, dada berombak kerana sukar bernafas, Abang masih tersenyum dan nampak ceria melayan rakan-rakan yang datang, sama-sama menyanyikan lagu hari jadi abang. Dan ketika itu, hati mak sudah terdetik, mungkin ini hari jadi abang yang terakhir.



7 Mac 2011- Keadaan abang semakin kritikal. Perut abang semakin membesar. Abang tidak mampu untuk bergerak dan lebih banyak terbaring serta asyik sesak nafas. Mak semakin tidak tahan melihatkan keadaan Abang sebegini rupa. Mak bawa Abang ke IJN, rumah 'kedua' abang sepanjang tempoh hayat Abang. Kata doktor, tiada apa yang boleh dilakukan lagi. Abang hanya menanti waktu. mak angguk perlahan-lahan. Mak redha dengan ketentuan ilahi. Dalam hati mak juga terdetik, masa Abang sudah tidak lama lagi. Para ibu di wad tersebut asyik bertanya pada mak, macam mana dengan keadaan Abang? Mak cuma mampu untuk jawab, "InsyaAllah, Abang akan sihat!" Mak terpaksa cakap begitu pada mereka, sebab mak tidak mahu mereka semua lemah semangat jika mereka tahu Abang sudah tiada harapan lagi. Mereka pun sedang bertarung dengan ujian Allah apabila anak-anak yang dikasihi ditimpa penyakit. jadi biarlah jawapan yang mak beri itu kedengaran manis pada telinga mereka. Pahitnya, biarlah mak sendiri yang telan.

13 Mac 2011- Hari ini merupakan hari Ahad. Mak pinta kebenaran doktor untuk bawa Abang pulang kerumah . Doktor izinkan. Biarlah Abang habiskan waktu-waktu terakhir bersama keluarga. Dan disaat-saat akhir ini, mak mahu tunaikan apa saja permintaan Abang. Di rumah, setiap hari mak akan tanya, "Abang nak apa harini?"

Mak masih ingat pada suatu pagi, abang menjawab, "Mak, Abang nak naik kereta bomba!"

Mak termenung dengar permintaan Abang. Bila abah pulang ke rumah, terus mak ajak abah keluar. Abah tanya pergi mana?

Mak jawab, "Balai bomba!"

Sampai di situ, mak meminta izin daripada pegawai bomba. Mak kata padanya, Abang teringin sangat nak merasa naik ke dalam trak bomba. Pegawai itu cuma garu-garu kepala, kemudiannya menggeleng-gelengkan kepala. Belum sempat pegawai bomba itu menjawab, lantas mak tarik baju Abang ke paras dada.

Separuh berbisik, mak beritahu pegawai itu, "Encik, ini anak bongsu saya dan hanya menanti masa untuk 'pergi'! Benarkan saya tunaikan impian terakhirnya ini!" Bila lihat perut Abang yang buncit dan dada dipenuhi kesan parut dan jahitan, pegawai itu tidak tunggu lama. Terus dicapainya kunci, dibuka pintu salah satu trak bomba itu. Lantas dia terus dukung Abang dan letakkan Abang ke atas tempat duduk bahagian pemandu. Abang nampak gembira sangat biarpun cuma 15 minit abang di dalam trak itu. Tetapi Abang tidak perasan, ketika itu mak palingkan muka selama lima saat. Sekadar mahu mengelap titisan air mata yang mula bertakung.

Hari lain, mak tanya lagi pada abang, "Abang nak apa?"

Abang pun jawab: "Abang nak naik lori sampah!" Mak dukung Abang, tunggu depan rumah. Bila lori sampah lalu pagi itu menjalankan rutinnya mengutip sampah, Mak tahan lori itu.

"Encik, anak saya teringin naik lori ni. Boleh izinkan sebentar?" Pekerja itu tertawa mendengar kata-kata mak. Kemudian, mak angkat baju Abang dan beritahu perkara sama. Terus berubah mimik wajah mereka. Segera mereka angkat Abang, letakkan di tempat duduk pemandu. Ada antara pekerja itu yang memalingkan muka, tak sangup untuk melihat Abang lama-lama. Sedih agaknya. Begitulah seterusnya. Setiap hari, mak akan tanya pertanyaan yang sama. Kalau Abang nak tengok gajah, mak akan bawa Abang pergi zoo. Walaupun abang tak larat jalan, tak apa.

Mak dan abah tidak kisah, kami silih berganti dukung Abang. Abang pinta nak tengok burung, mak bawa Abang ke taman burung. Abang nak main permainan robot, mak bawa ke kompleks beli-belah yang ada permainan seperti itu. Ke mana saja Abang nak pergi dan apa sahaja yang Abang inginkan, semuanya mak tunaikan! Setiap hari juga mak tanya Abang nak makan apa. Macam-macam Abang teringin nak makan. Murtabak, nasi paprik, milo ais, cendol, air tebu, air bandung , rojak dan macam-macam lagi, semuanya mak tunaikan walaupun makanan itu Abang pinta pada pukul 3.00 pagi.

Mak tahu dan faham, masa Abang bersama mak dan abah semakin suntuk!

27 Mac 2011- Abang semakin kritikal! Abang sudah tidak mampu untuk berkata-kata, apatah lagi untuk bergerak seperti biasa. Mata Abang kuyu dan Abang hanya mampu terbaring sambil memeluk Aina, anak patung kesayangan Abang. Mak segera pinta abah bawa Abang ke hospital.

"Kali ini kita bawa abang ke IJN, tapi kita mungkin akan keluar dengan tubuh abang yang sudah tidak bernafas!" Itulah kata-kata mak pada abah sebelum bertolak ke IJN. Mak mahu abah bersedia dan redha jika apa-apa berlaku. Sampai di IJN, abang terus ditempatkan di wad khas untuk pesakit kritikal.

5 April 2011- Mak telefon sekolah asrama Kakak sulung di Seremban. Mak minta pelepasan daripada cikgu untuk benarkan Kakak pulang.

"Adik tenat. Saya mahu kakak-kakaknya berada di sampingnya pada saat terakhir!" Mak pinta pada cikgu dan Kakak diizinkan pulang. Kemudian, Dr. Adura, doktor yang sinonim merawat abang juga datang melawat. Ketika itu mak ceritakan yang mak terkilan sangat tidak dapat tunaikan permintaan Abang yang mahukan kek berbentuk lori sampah.

7 April 2011- Pagi ini Dr. Adura datang melawat Abang lagi. Kemudian Dr. Adura beritahu ada surprise untuk Abang tengah hari ini. Rupa-rupanya, tengah hari itu tetamu yang juga rakan-rakan alam maya Dr. Adura datang membawa kek lori sampah yang Abang mahukan sebelum ini. Ada dua kek mereka bawa. Mak tak sangka, Dr Adura rajin menulis mengenai kisah abang didalam blognya dan ramai yang menawarkan diri untuk menyediakan kek yang abang pinta. Para tetamu bersama jururawat dan doktor menyanyikan lagu selamat ulang tahun untuk Abang. Tetapi abang kurang ceria, wajah Abang tampak letih dan nafas abang turun naik.

8 April 2011- Tengah hari ini, masih ada lagi tetamu datang membawa kek berbentuk lori warna pink untuk abang. Tetapi abang sangat lemah. Abang sekadar terbaring merenung kek itu. Malam itu, semasa jururawat mengambil tekanan darah Abang, bacaanya meningkat naik. Tetapi hati mak dapat merasakan yang Abang sekadar mahu meredakan keresahan hati mak. Malam itu, hanya mak berdua dengan Abang berada di dalam bilik. Mak pandang sayu wajah abang yang semakin lesu dan pucat. Mak duduk di sebelah Abang, mak peluk dan usap rambut Abang. Mak menangis teresak-esak bagai anak kecil.

Dalam tangis itu, mak katakan pada Abang, "Mak tahu Abang nak senangkan hati mak. Abang tak perlu buat macam tu. Mak tahu Abang nak pergi. Jangan tahan-tahan Abang. Pergilah menghadap Ilahi. Mak sudah sedia. Mak redha segalanya. Mak puas dapat sempurnakan apa sahaja hajat yang Abang pinta. Mak juga bangga kerana Allah hadirkan Abang dalam hidup mak walaupun seketika."

Abang hanya diam, memandang mak dengan pandangan lesu. Dan ketika itu mak menangis sepuas-puasnya. Mak juga berjanji bahwa mak tidak akan menangis lagi selepas itu! Ya, mak tidak akan menangis lagi biarpun abang sudah tiada lagi di dunia.

9 April 2011- Pagi itu mak pesan pada abah agar bawa semua anak-anak datang ke hospital. Masa Abang dah dekat sangat. Mak lihat Abang sudah kritikal. Wajah Abang sudah tampak biru, lebam! Dada Abang berombak, tercungap-cungap menarik nafas.

Abang sudah tidak mahu makan dan minum lagi sejak malam tadi. Pukul 8.00 pagi, abah dan kakak-kakak sampai. Mak suruh Kak Long bacakan Yaasin di sebelah Abang. Mak suruh abah baca juga, tapi bacaan abah tersekat-sekat kerana cuba menahan tangisnya.

Pukul 3.00 petang, Abang semakin lesu. Lantas mak ajak Abang keluar berjalan-jalan.

"Abang, abang nak tengok matahari tak? Jom kita turun kantin minum sambil tengok matahari!"

Abang hanya mengangguk lemah. Mak dukung Abang dan kita satu keluarga turun ke kantin. Abang mahu minum air coklat. Tapi Abang hanya minum seteguk. Kemudian, Abang lentukkan kepala pada bahu mak.

"Abang, tu tengok kat luar tu? nampak tak sinar matahari tu? Cantikkan?" Mak tunjuk pada abang sinar matahari yang kelihatan di celah-celah rintik hujan yang turun waktu itu. Abang angkat kepala melihat ke arah matahari itu. kemudian, abang menguap.

"Abang ngantuk!" Itu kata Abang dan kemudian abang terlentuk semula pada bahu mak. Tiba-tiba jantung mak berdegup kencang. "Bang, jom naik. Abang nak 'tidur'! Mak terus ajak abah dan kakak-kakak naik semula ke wad walaupun mereka belum sempat jamah makanan di atas meja.

Sampai sahaja di wad, mak terus baringkan Abang di atas katil.

Dan Abang terus merintih dalam nada yang lemah, "Makkk..sakit perut..!"

Suara Abang amat perlahan dan amat sayu bunyinya. Lantas mak letak tapak tangan mak atas dahi Abang.

"Abang, hari ini, waktu ini, mak redhakan Abang pergi. Mak halalkan segala makan minum Abang. Mak halalkan air susu mak untuk Abang. Pergilah Abang. Mak izinkan Abang pergi!" Mak ucapkan kata-kata itu sambil merenung jauh ke dalam mata Abang yang semakin kuyu. Saat Abang sedang nazak itu, mak panggil kakak-kakak agar mengucup Abang selagi Abang masih bernafas. Mereka kucup pipi Abang bertalu-talu dan mula meraung dan menangis.

"Kakak! kalau kamu semua nak menangis, keluar dari bilik ini. Mak tak mahu Abang dengar kamu menangis! Jangan seksa Abang dengan tangisan kamu semua!" Mak marah mereka. Mak tidak mahu Abang lihat kami menangisi pemergian Abang. Mak tahu, Abang akan jadi lebih sedih dan berat hati untuk pergi bila melihat kami menangis di saat akhir sakaratulmaut menjemput Abang. Mak tidak mahu tambahkan lagi kesedihan Abang untuk meninggalkan kami. Abah pula hanya berdiri di penjuru bilik, meraup wajah menahan suara tangisannya. Jururawat yang ada dalam bilik juga menangis, mak suruh jururawat keluar dan tutup tirai bilik itu. Mak tak mahu orang luar lihat. Mak tak mahu ada orang menangis di saat Abang akan pergi. Setitis dua mengalir juga air mata mak. Tapi mak masih mampu tersenyum.

"Pergilah Abang. Mak izinkan. Mak izinkan.. pergilah.."

Dan perlahan-lahan mata abang yang layu tertutup rapat, genggaman tangan Abang pada jari mak semakin lemah dan akhirnya terlepas...

Pukul 3.50 petang, akhirnya Abang meninggalkan dunia fana ini. Innalillahiwainnailahirajiun.

Mak kucup dahi Abang. Mak bisikkan di telinga Abang, "Tenanglah Abang di sana . Suatu hari nanti, mak juga pasti akan turuti jejak Abang. Abang... tunggu mak di sana ya! Di syurga!"

Abang, sekarang mak sudah dapat jawapanya. Mengapa mak tidak menangis? Pertama, Abang telah di takdirkan menjadi ahli syurga yang akan membantu mak di sana nanti. Kedua, apa saja keinginan Abang semasa hayat abang telah mak tunaikan. Tiada lagi rasa terkilan di hati mak. Ketiga, segala hutang sebagai seorang ibu telah mak langsaikan semasa hayat Abang. Mak telah sunatkan dan buat akikah untuk Abang. Keempat, mak telah menjalankan tanggungjawab sepenuhnya, sentiasa berada di sisi Abang dan menggembirakan Abang setiap saat dan waktu. Kelima, mak rasa istimewa dipilih Allah untuk mendapat anak seperti Abang. Mak jadi 'kaya' dengan kehadiran Abang. Kaya kesabaran, kaya tawadhuk, kaya keredhaan , kaya keimanan, kaya kawan, kaya ilmu, dan kaya pengetahuan. Mak telah beri segalan-galanya melebihi seratus peratus untuk Abang. Mak telah beri yang terbaik dan mak telah berusaha hingga ke garisan penamat. Sebab itu mak tidak perlu menangis lagi.

Abang.. biarpun kini hidup mak dan abah terasa sunyi dan kosong tanpa Abang tapi... mak akan sentiasa tersenyum mengenangkan saat-saat terindah kehadiran Abang dalam hidup kami biarpun cuma sebentar. Abang dalam kisah ini adalah adik Iqbal Fahreen Hamdan, anak bongsu daripada lima beradik. Abang masuk hospital seawal usia dua minggu akibat menghidapi lima jenis kompilasi jantung termasuklah kekurangan injap, jantung berlubang dan saluran sempit. Abang telah menjalani pelbagai siri pembedahan seawal usia dua bulan dan ada antara pembedahannya yang gagal, malah abang pernah disahkan 'mati' apabila jantungnya berhenti berdenyut. Walaupun pada awalnya doktor mengjangkakan hayat abang tidak lama selepas lahir ke dunia, namun ternyata anak kecil ini mampu bertahan sehingga usia empat tahun untuk meninggalkan kenangan terindah dalam hidup Jamilah (ibu) dan Hamdan (bapa).



Al-Fatihah buat Allahyarham adik Iqbal Fahreen.


Sebuah kisah benar menyayat hati yang melambangkan kasih sayang seorang ibu kepada anaknya.


p/s: I'm crying while reading this story.. T__T


sumber: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=282764981751024&set=a.101875246506666.4242.100000525746523&type=1

Citer ni aku reka tyme matrik dulu untuk assignment english. Terjumpa pulak mase dok ngemas2 semalam. Ada yang ditambah oleh kawan aku dan ade yang aku baru tambah2 mase taip balik bende nih. Aku bukan reti sangat pon mengarang cite ni. Lagi2 cite english lak tuh. So, inilah hasilnye...

Jane stood in front the mirror height half of their body. She looked at the image of herself-turn left and right to make sure she looked perfect that night. She was so gorgeous. Her slender body was very suitable wore a black dress with a long red scarf around her neck. She heard a car stop in front of her house. She pimped through the window; a smile appeared on her face. Eric waited her princess with his blue Lancer car. Jane took five minutes to close all windows and the door. After she closed the door, she came to Eric. Eric, Jane’s fiancé open the door for his princess with sweet smile and he kissed Jane’s cheek. “Jane, you look so beautiful tonight,” said Eric. “Thanks my dear. Oh, where we are going for dinner? My stomach can’t stop singing.” Jane touched her stomach and they laughed.

Eric quickly started his car and brought Jane to an exclusive hotel. After half an hour, they arrived at the hotel. As they stepped in the hotel, the smooth song got through their ears. They chose the place near the glass wall. Jane saw many people walking along the pedestrian. A waiter came at their table to take the order. “Excuse me, may I take your order please?” said the waiter. Eric ordered a special dinner package for couple offered by the waiter. After that, the waiter leaved them with a sweet smile. Jane gazed at Eric. Eric had a pair of hazel eyes. His hair looked shiny because of the reflection of the light. He used a hair gel to neat his hair. He was charming with his tuxedo.

Ten minutes later, the waiter came with their meal. They enjoyed their dinner so much. They talking about their life, their future, making jokes then laughed together. After they finished their dinner, they walked together to the parking lot. The way to the parking lot is not too busy. The town looked so bright with the colourful light all over the building.

Before Jane got into the car, she saw a card slicked at the front window under the wiper. She took and read it. “Yellow Ribbon Project...Chris Smith?” She stared at the card. She hushed for a few second. Without an expectation she mentioned the name again. “Who is Chris Smith?” Eric glared at her. Jane realised that she had make a mistake. “I don’t know. I just read it from this card. Forget it.” Jane threw the card on the ground. “Hmm... alright. Let’s move.” Eric entered the car. Jane sat beside Eric. Before she closed the door, she took back the card and quickly put it in her handbag.

At the campus; Jane carried a lot of books. They were so heavy. She hoped someone would help her carried them. It was so tired carrying those things from the fourth floor to the ground floor. Out of the blue, she ran into someone.

“Oops! Sorry. I’m sorry.” Jane picked all books that fell from her arms without looked at the guy.

“Never mind, girl. Lets I help you.” He helped Jane picked up them.

“Oh, thanks for your help...and sorry for what happened. “ Jane looked at him up and down. He wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans. He had a pair of gray eyes, a wide forehead a sharp nose. There was something special about him that make Jane interested to know more about him.

The day was so bright. It would be great to hang up with friends, family or boyfriend. Jane slouched in a lazy chair. She took a magazine on the table and lifted up page by page. Her cell phone was ringing. “Hello my princess. What are you doing?” Jane smiled to hear Eric’s voice on the phone. She felt so bored since the morning. Eric asked her to go to the wedding boutique to arrange about their marriage.

Eric stopped his car at a petrol station. He went to the shop to buy some drinks. Jane stayed in the car while waiting for him. Jane explored the car. She opened the dashboard, CD cases and also placer. She did not looking for anything. She just wanted to see all things. Her cell phone fell from her lap because she moves so much. She took her phone under the chair. She found something weird-white powder in a wrapped plastic. It was looked like flour. She not believed what she had seen. It was a drug! How she can accept that her fiancé was a drug addict. Or maybe he was a drug distributor!

Jane was fetter by a big problem. She had quarrelled with Eric. Eric was so mad because Jane knew about his secret. Jane din not want to break up their relationship because she do not want their parent disappointed. Therefore, she just kept going their relationship even though she knew Eric would not be a great leader their family later.

It was just a month before their wedding. There are just a few things were still not settle. Jane was so bored staying alone at home. Eric could not accompany her to go out. He said he had a lot of work to do. Instead of that, Jane brought herself to a mall. She did not want to buy anything, only a window shopping.

From the ground floor, she went to upper floor. From the shoes shop she went into the book store then to a gift shop. She saw a cute bear statue on the rack. She wanted to buy for Eric. She thought it could be put on his office desk. Then she saw a heart shape frame. She could put their photo in it. So, she took the frame and paid it.

On the way of stepping out of the gift shop, a girl comes through her. The girl sought for forgiveness from Jane. The girl was quite pretty. As Jane looked at the guy beside her, she shocked. Eric who was holding the girl’s hand quickly took away his hand. He was very surprised. His face turned as white as sheet.

Drop by drop tears wetted Jane’s cheeks. He threw the frame on her hand against the floor. Everybody looked toward them. Eric did not believe his eyes. Jane steeped in front of Eric. She glared with her sharp eyes into his eyes. He said nothing.

PAAANGG!! – A hard slap on his right cheek. “This is for your lies and making fool on me.”

PAAANGG!! Another slap on his left cheek. “This is for making me cry.”

DUUSH!! A punch got onto his stomach. He fell down. The girl next to him did not understand what was going on. She was confused.

“That’s for that frame.” Jane pointed to the pieces of broken frame on the floor. Jane leaved the crowd.

One month ago at the park...

Chris held Jane’s shoulder. He stared at her. She looked down. Her face turned red. “Look at me, dear.” Chris made Jane looked at her by took up her chin. “Promise me that you will never leave me. Can you?” Jane nodded her head. “I promise.” Chris smiled. He held her hand and kissed it with tender. “I’ll keep it in mind. If you leave me, I rather kill myself than leaving without you.”

Jane pondered all day long. She did nothing else. She thought of Chris, her ex-boyfriend. Chris loved her so much, with all his soul. She did not know anything about him after her engagement with Eric. She remembered about the card in her handbag. She took out the card. She read every sentence on it. It told about an organization that helps to prevent teen suicide. Suicide...? “In loving memory of Chris Smith’ was a sentence that touched her feeling. Who is Chris Smith? Is it the person that she loves before? Is that really him? Many question get into Jane’s mind. She remembered her promise to Chris. She reminded again what Chris had told her. “I’m cruel! Chris dead! I’m sorry Chris...” Jane cried loudly.

The phone was ringing. Nobody pick up the phone. Eric was told by Jane’s officemate that she did not come to the office for three days. Eric went to Jane’s house. He knocked the door so many times but nobody opened it. He tried to call her phone. He heard the ringing front the outside. That was mean Jane was in the house. Thinking of something bad happen to Jane, he climbed through the window to get into the house.

He kept calling Jane’s name. He went into her room. The room was so messy. He saw her lied on the floor. He ran towards her and put her head on his lap. He put his finger at her nose. No breath. There was an empty bottle of pills. In the bottle, it was a piece of paper. It was a note. In the note she left, she wrote: “I wish I could learned how to appreciate. I want my Chris. Sorry Mom and Dad. I hate you, Eric. – Jane, 11 Nov, 11.11 am.”

By O.Henry

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty- seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.

There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.

While the mistress of the home is gradually subsiding from the first stage to the second, take a look at the home. A furnished flat at $8 per week. It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.

In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which no letter would go, and an electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring. Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name "Mr. James Dillingham Young."

The "Dillingham" had been flung to the breeze during a former period of prosperity when its possessor was being paid $30 per week. Now, when the income was shrunk to $20, though, they were thinking seriously of contracting to a modest and unassuming D. But whenever Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and reached his flat above he was called "Jim" and greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham Young, already introduced to you as Della. Which is all very good.

Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present. She had been saving every penny she could for months, with this result. Twenty dollars a week doesn't go far. Expenses had been greater than she had calculated. They always are. Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and rare and sterling--something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.

There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room. Perhaps you have seen a pierglass in an $8 flat. A very thin and very agile person may, by observing his reflection in a rapid sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain a fairly accurate conception of his looks. Della, being slender, had mastered the art.

Suddenly she whirled from the window and stood before the glass. her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds. Rapidly she pulled down her hair and let it fall to its full length.

Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair. Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.

So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her. And then she did it up again nervously and quickly. Once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.

On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat. With a whirl of skirts and with the brilliant sparkle still in her eyes, she fluttered out the door and down the stairs to the street.

Where she stopped the sign read: "Mne. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds." One flight up Della ran, and collected herself, panting. Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardly looked the "Sofronie."

"Will you buy my hair?" asked Della.

"I buy hair," said Madame. "Take yer hat off and let's have a sight at the looks of it."

Down rippled the brown cascade.

"Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting the mass with a practised hand.

"Give it to me quick," said Della.

Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. Forget the hashed metaphor. She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present.

She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jim and no one else. There was no other like it in any of the stores, and she had turned all of them inside out. It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretricious ornamentation--as all good things should do. It was even worthy of The Watch. As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim's. It was like him. Quietness and value--the description applied to both. Twenty-one dollars they took from her for it, and she hurried home with the 87 cents. With that chain on his watch Jim might be properly anxious about the time in any company. Grand as the watch was, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of the old leather strap that he used in place of a chain.

When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason. She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love. Which is always a tremendous task, dear friends--a mammoth task.

Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truant schoolboy. She looked at her reflection in the mirror long, carefully, and critically.

"If Jim doesn't kill me," she said to herself, "before he takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl. But what could I do--oh! what could I do with a dollar and eighty- seven cents?"

At 7 o'clock the coffee was made and the frying-pan was on the back of the stove hot and ready to cook the chops.

Jim was never late. Della doubled the fob chain in her hand and sat on the corner of the table near the door that he always entered. Then she heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and she turned white for just a moment. She had a habit for saying little silent prayer about the simplest everyday things, and now she whispered: "Please God, make him think I am still pretty."

The door opened and Jim stepped in and closed it. He looked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two--and to be burdened with a family! He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves.

Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.

Della wriggled off the table and went for him.

"Jim, darling," she cried, "don't look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It'll grow out again--you won't mind, will you? I just had to do it. My hair grows awfully fast. Say `Merry Christmas!' Jim, and let's be happy. You don't know what a nice-- what a beautiful, nice gift I've got for you."

"You've cut off your hair?" asked Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after the hardest mental labor.

"Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair, ain't I?"

Jim looked about the room curiously.

"You say your hair is gone?" he said, with an air almost of idiocy.

"You needn't look for it," said Della. "It's sold, I tell you--sold and gone, too. It's Christmas Eve, boy. Be good to me, for it went for you. Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered," she went on with sudden serious sweetness, "but nobody could ever count my love for you. Shall I put the chops on, Jim?"

Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake. He enfolded his Della. For ten seconds let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction. Eight dollars a week or a million a year--what is the difference? A mathematician or a wit would give you the wrong answer. The magi brought valuable gifts, but that was not among them. This dark assertion will be illuminated later on.

Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table.

"Don't make any mistake, Dell," he said, "about me. I don't think there's anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less. But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first."

White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.

For there lay The Combs--the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped long in a Broadway window. Beautiful combs, pure tortoise shell, with jewelled rims--just the shade to wear in the beautiful vanished hair. They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession. And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone.

But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and a smile and say: "My hair grows so fast, Jim!"

And them Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, "Oh, oh!"

Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held it out to him eagerly upon her open palm. The dull precious metal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit.

"Isn't it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to find it. You'll have to look at the time a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it."

Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled.

"Dell," said he, "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on."

The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.




Jim and Della...
Not everyone willing to sacrifice their precious things in their live..
Not everyone knows how to appreciate..
Not everyone can be like them..
The gift that come from heart..
The love more precious than everything..
For the endless love...