Chapter 22

In a poor neighborhood, in a certain house.

Young Hassen could only hold his feverish wife's hand. Since giving birth, her fever had not subsided. It had been over twenty days of continuous fever. The baby was being fed by a wet nurse, but his wife had lost her appetite and could barely drink water.

(Maybe it’s too late...)

Since yesterday, his wife had started to mumble in her sleep. He despaired, thinking that the poison in her blood must have reached her brain.

(God...)

If his wife were to die, what would he do with the baby? Who could he entrust the baby to while he worked? The neighbor who provided the wet nursing would not take care of the baby for long. She had said apologetically, “I don’t have that much milk either.”

As Hassen was lost in his unsolvable worries, there was a knock on the door. Wondering who it could be at such a late hour, he opened the door slightly.

“Yes?”

“I’ve come to help your wife.”

An old woman’s voice came from the other side, and Hassen opened the door wide.

“Who are you?”

“Don’t ask. Your wife is seriously ill, right? I might be able to help her.”

“I’m grateful, but we only have a few copper coins left. But if you can help her, I’ll work and pay you back little by little! I promise I will! Please, I beg you!”

Hassen thought the person was a doctor or a pharmacist. The old woman was wearing a deep hood and a coat that covered her from head to toe. She looked around the room.

“No, payment is not necessary. With this lifestyle, it’s more important to buy food for your wife. I’ll try to heal your wife, but there’s one condition.”

“Anything, anything. I’ll do whatever you say. I’ll give you anything except my life and family!”

The old woman smiled slightly under her hood.

“I don’t want your life or your family. The conditions are two. First, you must never tell anyone about me and say that you healed her yourself. Second, you must report back to me whether the item I give you works or not.”

“Just that?”

“Yes. If you don’t tell anyone about me, you don’t need to pay. If someone asks, just say, ‘My wife overcame her illness on her own.’ But if you tell anyone...”

The old woman’s words were ominous, and Hassen nodded vigorously.

“I won’t tell anyone. Absolutely not. I promise. Please!”

He thought he might be being deceived, but if no money was required, and his wife was on the verge of death, there was nothing worse than this. Hassen was willing to cling to anything that could help.

The old woman asked detailed questions about his wife’s condition. He answered honestly, including the fact that she had been mumbling since yesterday.

The old woman then took out a shiny white cloth from her pocket and placed it over his wife’s head down to her waist. She gently rubbed the cloth over his wife for a few minutes. Hassen knelt and prayed, wondering about the cloth.

After three or four minutes, the old woman removed the cloth, and his wife opened her eyes, looking around. Her breathing, which had been rough, was now calm.

“Gashuna! Are you feeling better?”

“Hassen, I want to drink water. And I’m hungry.”

His wife, who had been delirious and mumbling, was now speaking clearly.

“Gashuna. Gashuna. Oh, God. Thank you!”

He tried to hug the old woman, but she deftly avoided him.

“I’m not God. Listen. I’ll leave this cloth with you. If you or your family are sick or injured, use it without hesitation. Just place it on the affected area. I want you to tell me if it works or not. After using it again, place a flower pot on the right side of the entrance. I’ll come to hear the details when I see it.”

“I understand. Is that all?”

“Yes, just don’t tell anyone about me or the cloth.”

His wife, Gashuna, started eating and producing milk for the baby that night.

After that, Gashuna remained completely healthy. A few days later, when the baby developed a rash, he used the cloth. While there was no dramatic recovery like with his wife, the rash did improve somewhat.

As instructed, he placed a flower pot on the right side of the entrance. Three days later, the old woman visited again.

“I see. Your wife was in a very bad state. This cloth seems to have used up its power. I’ll repeat this: if you tell anyone about me, something unfortunate might happen. If you see me somewhere, can you pretend not to know me?”

“I understand. I won’t tell anyone. I’ll pretend not to know you!”

What would happen if he broke his promise with this powerful old woman? He couldn’t imagine anything but terrible outcomes. Both of them bowed deeply. The old woman stood up from the chair.

“Well, I’m off. Put the flower pot away. Do you know anyone who is very poor and can’t afford a doctor and is suffering a lot? It doesn’t have to be an illness; an injury is fine too.”

“There is...”

Gashuna mentioned a man who lived alone. He had been suffering from arthritis for a long time and used a cane to get around, but it was clear that his life would soon become unsustainable.

“Is that so? If that man gets better, can you swear not to talk about me with him?”

“We swear!”

The couple said in unison.

The old woman took the handmade knitted hat that Gashuna had given her and left.

A few months later, the family of three visited Gashuna’s former workplace. The shop owner, who didn’t know about Gashuna’s illness, served them tea, smiled at the baby, and started a cheerful conversation.

“Gashuna, do you remember the old man, Joaquin, who lived across the street?”

“Yes. He was in a lot of pain all over his body.”

“He suddenly got better. Now he lives without a cane. The pain just disappeared suddenly. It’s amazing.”

On the way back home, Gashuna murmured.

“Hey, Hassen. Someone must have told that old woman about me, right?”

“Yes, that’s probably it.”

“I don’t know who, but it’s very kind of them.”

“Yes, it’s really kind.”

They walked side by side. Gashuna spoke to the baby, who was sleeping in her arms.

“Baby, my baby. It seems there are more good people in this world than we thought.”