The old woman sat on the bench in the park with her aged hands holding a worn leather satchel. She was known in the park, always silent-to watch what went on around her. But today, she is different. A glint of mischief sparkled in her eyes and a faint smile played on her lips.
She saw young lovers laughing in the cool autumn breeze. There was a real love that they shared, eyes spoke in some other language beyond words, and their silence itself was a laugh. She released a sigh, a yearning that felt old, as the old woman had done it for years. She saw herself at another moment when she was that spark that joy overwhelmed her.
The young woman gasped suddenly and clasped her chest with her hands. Her face pale, she was terrified. Panicking, the young man yelled for help, but it seemed no one paid any mind to this drama unfolding in that park. It was a very lively park filled with all manners of activities, yet the silent crisis that was unfolding on that bench was unnoticed.
But the old woman knew it all. She understood what was going on. The young woman was being tormented by a curse, one that had been a part of her ancestry for generations. It was a heart curse, one that moved out love and left nothing but emptiness.
The old woman reached into her satchel and brought out a small, intricately carved wooden box. Upon opening it, a single shimmering pearl lay nestled on velvet. It was an ancient pearl full of magic-one capable of breaking the curse.
She stood up from the bench. She was tall; her very frail body seemed built of iron. She approached the young couple with her eyes brimming over with anxiety. The boy looked at her. His face was chiseled with worry.
"Don't worry," said the old woman, her voice surprisingly firm. "I can help."
She thrust the box out at them, the pearl sending a soft glow through the waning light. The young woman looked at it, her eyes filled with a glimmer of hope.
"This pearl," the old woman whispered, "breaks the curse."
She thrust the pearl into the girl's hand. The girl closed her hand about it, and warmth and energy flowed through her. The ache in her chest was assuaged, and the smile came back upon her lips.
.
He clasped his love close within his arms, full of love for her; he kissed her tenderly.
