Eleni ran back to the ward and found her mother kneeling in front of an icon of the Virgin Mary. She was whispering, "Ever Holy
One, thank you. You have been my protector. Now please protect my daughter Eleni, my two grandchildren ...," but before she could continue, she began crying. Between the sobs she murmured, "My son Nikolas. Please, if he is with your Son in heaven, ask that he take care of Nikolas. You are a mother too, so you can understand. Tell him that I will always love him." She wiped her tears and continued, "But if he is somewhere on this earth, then I ask like I have pleaded for ten years, please help me find him. I beg of you."
Eleni waited until her mother had finished and helped her to get up.
"I have good news, Mom," she said cheerfully, looking into her mother's eyes and displaying a wide smile.
"What is it?" asked Penelope, with hope on her face.
"You are going to be out of here soon and I will be able to take care of you. Isn't that wonderful?"
"Thank you, daughter," smiled Penelope as she kissed her daughter. Tears soaked her wrinkled face again.
***
Eleni was a mathematics teacher in her fifties who taught at a private high school. She had two sons, one named after her father and the other after her brother, Nikolas, whom the family presumed to be dead. Her husband, a teacher of Greek literature, had died of heart failure when the boys were little. She was raising her sons by herself and was now willing to take care of her mother.
A month passed and Penelope continued to improve. She was looking forward to the day when she would be discharged to her daughter's care. She hobbled slowly with her heavyset body and happily talked to anyone who cared to listen. Every day, she prayed on her knees for the living and for her family, her husband whom the Turks murdered, Ismini, her other daughter who had died from breast cancer, and her only son, Nikolas. Penelope had lost count of how many memorial services she had held for her loved ones.
The day finally arrived when her daughter Eleni came for her. She said her goodbyes to everyone she knew. She kissed them and blessed them with good wishes such as "My little heart, have patience, the Virgin will come and help you."
As Penelope waited by her bedside, she tried to make sense of the strange dream she had the night before. She dreamt about a young man dressed in an all white, long robe who looked at her with compassion. He told her something she could not quite understand. Penelope raised her hand to call the young man back as he was leaving. "What did you say?" she pleaded. He returned and repeated his words: "Take the child and go to the land of the Pharaohs. It is safe there." Then he disappeared into a thin cloud.