Liberty's Sparkle (41)

   
   "Liberty's Sparkle (41)"
   
   Marty sweetly enabled Tom to undergo cranial magnetic resonance imaging, which ominously displayed a right temporal lobe tumor extending to the basal ganglia.  Obviously, this was part of Tom's tics and suffering.
  Possibly radiosurgery could be performed, but Liberty and Tom were tapped out financially.  Wanda had heard the news, and cackled to her husband Jacob:  "I always knew that my little brother was a mutated freak."
   Jacob, so genuine in his caring, responded:  "We have to help him--to pay for treatment."
   Faye's face turned crimson, as it often did, her responding:  "And rob our retirement account?  The money we've saved for our future children?  This is Tom and that quixotic bitch Liberty's damn problem.  Let them find a way to fund his freakish needs."
   Jacob bit his tongue.  He wanted to slug her, like might the Catholic Sinatra, knowing Christ's words:  "If your brother sins against you--rebuke him."
   On the flip side, within the sublime poverty of the mobile home, Tom was shaking as he laid on the futon, Spanky eagerly watching him, as if knowing his master was sick.
   Faye and Liberty were outside, in the approaching autumn winds, both smoking cigarettes, their hands shaking, and their souls gone weary.
   Liberty was like:  "We can't afford the surgery."
   Faye stated:  "There's always prayer."
   Liberty chimed:  "Everyone thinks I'm so sweet and nurturing, but I've never really prayed, not even when my Dad was sick; we never discussed politics or religion."
   Faye smiled sadly:  "Hell, those two topics are the most interesting.  We gotta find a way to help Tom.  So, start praying Liberty, for just as your soul healed me--it may restore Tom too."
   Liberty cried:  "Why do my friends think I'm so great?"
   Faye grabbed her arm with loving intensity:  "Because you are girlfriend.  You truly are."