Three

Covered in sweat from head to toe and grass clippings from the knees down, he pushed the mower to it's usual spot underneath the old house's overhang in the back. He turned, thought about it, and quickly turned back the mower unscrewing the gas cap. Joel then retrieved the plastic gas can. Someone, he couldn't remember who had told him the if you fill the mower before storing it for the winter, it would be ready to go in the spring. Of course, it had never worked, but there was just a little bit of gas in the can. "Done," he panted and headed for the side door that served as the main entrance to the house. As he entered, he glanced at the living room clock from the kitchen. "Good," he thought, "Just before noon, I can grab the headlines on the news." as he reached for the remote to turn on the TV and tuned it to channel seven. Channel Seven was the only one he watched for local news and enjoyed the two morning co-hosts, Kimberly, and Leo, who did the morning and noon editions. He liked them for several reasons, chiefly because they seemed to tell it like it is as it came in, but really because the two seemed to have a rapport with the other that wasn't faked, the way other news stations would sometimes do. But, Joel knew, you can't fake chemistry, either you got it, or you don't. He increased the volume and headed to the back of the house, to the bedroom, to change.

There really wasn't much in the way of new news, as he listened, today, the usual bits about trick or treaters safety, the local forecast, the prices of everything going higher. Having grabbed his change of clothes from the closet, Joel heard the anchor say something about a miraculous cure for cancer. "Yeah, Right!!" he thought as he moved back to hear the story, "If I had a dollar..." By the time he made it back to hear the story, a national report was on with an interview with a Dr. Alice Krippen. As he stood there in the small living room, he heard this lady doc say that she had basically cured cancer. A flash of anger burned through Joel's brain and a phrase shot to mind. "Only a decade too late, you stuck up Brit!!" He immediately felt guilty about the thought, as if the doctor on the screen would be offended by it. He was glad that there would be a cure to help others, but he just wished they had come up with it sooner, maybe, just maybe, his grandmother, Doris Lee, and his mother in law, Yvonne, would still be here. Now he had a sudden ache of worry for Sadie. Would this upset her, knowing that only seven short years before that this cure would have saved her mom? Joel hit the power on the remote, killing the TV and he fought the urge to throw the remote through the screen. "That wouldn't solve anything and cost you a TV. And you can't afford a new one, bozo." Still the thought and flash of anger hadn't surprised him. He knew he had a temper, but also a good amount of patience to help keep it in check, usually. He tossed the remote on the couch and moved back to the rear of the house, to grab the shower he needed. As he passed, he grabbed his phone to have in the bathroom with him, in case Sadie called about meeting for a late lunch.

Turns out Sadie wasn't too upset about the cancer cure from what Joel could tell. They sat together in Bo Jangles, both having a chicken sandwich for lunch. Whenever Sadie had to work on a day that Joel was off (which didn't happen too often), she wanted to meet for lunch if the work shift was during the day. "So, are we not giving out candy this year?" Joel asked with a wry grin on his face. He already knew the answer, but he liked to play coy with his wife at times. Sadie didn't like the Halloween holiday, never had. She didn't like all the ghost and horror stories that went with it. She did like seeing the little kids in all their costumes, though. "We can if you want." She replied but with a blank face, something she always did when she said one thing, but really hoped for another. Joel grin broke into a complete smile and laughed, saying "You don't fool me one bit, Wifey. No, we won't give out candy. Besides kids don't trick or treat like when I was little." He knew he sounded old, as he said this, even though he was only 35. It seemed to Joel that kids were lazier than when he was of that age. "I remember walking for all my treats," he said. Sadie smiled, knowing that they have had this discussion many times over the course of their marriage, now in it's tenth year. They continued with their lunch, talking about the upcoming holidays and then as they were finishing, it happened.

On the two TVs that hung in the corners of the restaurant, the news of the cancer cure came on. Both Sadie and Joel watched it, and Joel could see a hint of sadness in his wife's eyes. He reached across the table and took her hand and said "Hey." Her attention snapped back to the present from whatever memory she had been in. "Guess what?" he announced. Sadie smiled, realizing that Joel was starting one of their games.

"What?" she replied playfully.

"I love you," he said gazing at her.

"I love you more," she gave back.

"That's what you think!" Joel returned and they both smiled. It was one of the little things that was always between them. They both gazed back to the televisions as the cancer cure report was ending.

Sadie tried to be upbeat, "Maybe they really found the cure. Maybe it will help a lot of people. But it sounds too good to be true." As that last phrase left her mouth, Joel felt a sudden sense of impending doom, like a cold thud in the pit of his stomach.

He thought,"What if it was?"