August Pumpkin

Janet sat quietly in her chair watching her husband through the front window, He was pulling several bags from the back seat of the tired old SUV. James was able to keep it running despite their friend Dave, a certified mechanic, telling James that it was beyond hope. She gasped as the neighbor’s huge German Shepard ran in front of James causing him to lose his footing momentarily, he recovered only dropping one bag which seemed to be a few canned vegetables. Tracy, Janet’s sister pulled into the drive on the opposite side of the SUV. She jumped out and scooped up the fallen bag then said something to James. He looked over at her smiling; she pointed at her rust bucket of a pickup truck. He shook his head no and turned back towards the house. He smiled and waved to Janet and turned towards the kitchen door.

Janet wheeled her chair towards the kitchen, calling a soft hello to her husband and sister. Janet moved slowly, her thin arms were weak and she tired easily now. James ambled out of the kitchen, slipped up beside her, he kissed her cheek and positioned her chair next to the window. Janet wore a soft cotton dress today, it was simple, yellow with sunflowers around the hem. Her long blond hair was laced with silver but much thinner now, it lay softly on her shoulders. James cupped her cheeks and smiled softly, the half hour on the patio every morning soaking up the warm Georgia sunshine kept a slight warmth to her translucent skin.

Going down on one knee, James continued to cup her cheek with one hand as his deep blue eyes studied her soft hazel ones. James was pushing fifty now, but his tall, lean frame was as strong as ever, reflecting the hard work of a farmer that had spent all his adult years working outside, from before sun-up to the setting of the sun. This past year James had let his two sons, Robert and Ben run the farm while he stayed by his beautiful wife’s side. Janet lifted a hand and slid her fingers through her husband’s ebony locks. She fingered the slight bit of silver at his temples and smiled as he leaned closer and whispered, “Don’t worry about the kitchen, Tracy and the girls want to cook for us tonight. Just rest and look beautiful.”

Cooking had been one of Janet’s favorite chores; besides Robert and Ben, both boys took after their father, tall, lean, jet-black hair, but both with deep emerald, green eyes they had two daughters, Cindy and Grace. Both fierce redheads, Grace, tall and boisterous, with strawberry blond hair she always wore braided over one shoulder and long enough to brush her butt. The other, Cindy, is almost as tall, strong-willed and calculating. Her deep auburn hair, the envy of any not born with it, right now in a ponytail that brushed her shoulders, her deep green eyes sparkled flashing her mother a wide grin as she made a mad dash to the kitchen.

Smiling now at the absolute closeness of her family, Janet kissed her husband, he smiled then but before he could pull away she grabbed his sleeve. “James, it is still August, why is there a huge pumpkin sitting at the end of our driveway? Pumpkins are not in season yet, and that one is huge.” He stared at her a moment blinking.

“Are you sure you saw a pumpkin? He asked mocking absolute innocence.

“Yes, I am sure, I saw it yesterday when we were returning from the pharmacy.” She studied him now.

“Hey guys, mom says she saw a pumpkin at the end of the drive, anyone see a pumpkin? He hollered into the kitchen. Grace popped her head around the partition to the kitchen looking surprised.

“Nope, you know its August mom, why would there be a pumpkin in August?” Not waiting for an answer and smiling at the frown on her mother’s face Grace went back to her mixer. Janet got several more no answers from the others.

James smiled and kissed his wife’s delicate cheek. “They haven’t even put out the Pumpkin Spice creamers yet hon.” She gave him a soft glare and then closed her eyes. Part of her routine was to nap mid-morning and midafternoon, usually for half an hour or forty-five minutes. James lifted her to the sofa and covered her with an Afghan.

That evening the pumpkin was sitting under a tree in the front yard and the family was still denying it was there. Janet wasn’t sure what game they were playing but she decided not to let it bother her, she acknowledged its location then forgot about it. When the boys came in they also denied seeing it. The pumpkin moved several times over the next couple of days. Janet would mention it but none of the family would admit it was there.

Labor Day weekend had crept up on them. The weather was still holding in the high eighties. Janet felt a little stronger, her appointment with her doctor went well on Friday. “You are in something I would call a tentative remission.” Janet frowned and James asked what that meant as he held tightly to Janet’s hand. “It means there is no growth, even, according to our technician, the mass seems a bit smaller than the last couple of scans. I don’t see how that is possible and I need you to come next week for another scan and we will check our equipment. James half-smiled at Janet and she squeezed his hand. This was the best news they had had in a very long struggle this past year.

“We need to celebrate,” James said as he helped his wife into the old truck. She smiled softly and leaned over for hug. James was trying hard not to be overly optimistic, but he could not help the shimmer of hope that had been missing for so long. 

The kids had mixed reactions to the report, two were excited and two wanted to be but remained reserved. “Does she still think the Ivermectin/Fenbendazole treatment is quote ‘a wishful myth’? Ben asked smugly. James shrugged.

He sat down on the sofa beside his wife. She rested her head on his shoulder as he hugged her gently. “She hasn’t fully embraced the treatment,” Janet said softly, “but she didn’t mention the radiation or chemo this time. I think she is on a wait and see attitude.”

James snorted, “They are going to check their equipment,” that got a laugh from Robert.

“Faulty equipment huh, that’s their answer.” Cindy shook her head. “Oh, we need to order more charcoal tablets for the next round of treatment.” She rose and hurried off to the kitchen. Janet watched her go. It seemed the girls were spending a lot of time there the last couple of days.

“I noticed the pumpkin is now next to the front steps, James, are you still going to tell me it is my imagination?” Janet asked. James gave her a blank look and didn’t answer. She huffed softly and laid down for her nap. James smiled to himself, ‘Soon, love, soon,’ he thought as he brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

James remembered the doctor’s reservations on the alternative treatment that the family, and Janet most of all, had chosen. After reading research extensively and Janet’s aversion to chemo and radiation because of the side effects, they had decided to use the Ivermectin/Fenbendazole. Studies show the wormer treats the cancer cells as it would any other parasite in the body, by attacking it and inhibiting its reproduction. Janet was fully prepared to go without treatment at all, but the kids were adamant this could be the answer. She had been on her program for two months now and it was still wait and see.

Sunday came and James took Janet to church. The kids begged off this Sunday, but Janet wanted to go anyway. Upon arriving home James drove slowly up the driveway. Janet could not believer her eyes, not only was the mysterious pumpkin in the front yard but it was now flanked by cornstalks and dozens of smaller pumpkins. The porch was lined with pumpkins and huge colorful fall leaves hanging everywhere. Looking at her husband, Janet saw the emotions in his warm gaze, she leaned over and kissed him soundly as he held on.

Inside the house smelled like roast turkey and pumpkin pie. The banquet was spread out over the kitchen table and dining room. The house was full of relatives  and friends and Janet learned later all cars were parked behind the barn.  “Speech, speech.” Someone hollered.

“What are we doing?” Janet asked tearfully. All the kids hugged her, James held on tightly.

He cleared his throat, “After the doctors had their prediction we decided to give you Thanksgiving early. We had no way of knowing if you would be stronger and or weaker, and we know it is one of your favorite holidays so we planned it early.”

Everyone grew quiet, some had tears in their eyes, as Janet said the prayer,

                “Father God, we come on bended knee, thanking You for this day, and every day to

 come. We thank You for Your blessings we have received and those You are going to

 give. Every day we have together is a day You have given in love to each of us. Help us

Father to focus on the work of the Kingdom, to share Your love with those who need You

Lord Bless and keep all gathered here today, bless our beloved country and guide our

Leaders in Your ways, today and everyday. In the name of our blessed Savir and Redeemer,

Your Son Jesus, Amen.

Janet looked up with tears in her eyes, “What happens if I make it to Thanksgiving anyway?” She whispered.

James smiled and kissed her cheek, “Well then we will have an early Christmas, and then Easter, and somewhere in there we will stuff Valentines Day.” She wiped her eyes smiling softly. “The calendar no longer has the last word.