They snuck into the zoo when night fell. The guard at the entrance letting them in without a word. Sadik led them around until they found Ivar the bear. The bear was still on the ground, the meat untouched.

“Come on, stand up. Come closer,” urged Nikola, and the bear perked up. It stood up on shaky legs and lumbered to the cage’s bonds. Nikola jumped over the viewing fence and went to the bars of the main enclosure. He reached out his hand through the bars and the bear licked it.

Nikola giggled and petted under the bear’s chin.

“Now, let us see what is wrong with you,” he let his grace sip into the animal’s bones. He found that there was something wrong with the kidneys. Concentrating, he managed to fix all the damage until they looked good again. Ivar licked Nikola’s face and then moved to the meat, tearing into it with fervor.

Nikola hoped back over the viewing fence and turned towards Sadik with a bright smile.

“What was wrong with it?” Asked Sadik just as Ivar finished the meat.

“Something with the kidneys. I am not certain. But, he is well now,” Sadik nodded. The zoo was early, silent, but the animals were staring at Nikola.

“Will you check on the rest?” Nikola felt himself go faint at the prospect. Healing Ivar had taken much out of him. Healing more animals might see him being carried out of the zoo.

“I don’t think so. Besides, the rest didn’t have the same reaction to seeing me as Ivar. Let us go home,” Sadik hooked an arm around Nikola’s middle, and they got out of the zoo. The guard greeted them and returned inside his cabin.

When they made it back to the cottage, all the stars in the sky were to be seen. Sadik supposed that he enjoyed the place for its wildness. Back in town, the sky rarely showed the stars. Unless you were on the outskirts.

They entered the cottage and Nikola’s stomach grumbled. He blushed and coughed. They ate bread with cream cheese and went to bed content.

The next day, Sadik left Nikola home to work and went shopping. On a whim, he checked the local newspaper. On the front, in big, bold, letters, was written:

Ivar the bear receives a miracle. Kidney stones disappear overnight.

Sadik grinned and added the newspaper to the shopping cart. After he paid, he went back to the car to read the entire article.

After Ivar behaved pained yesterday, he was checked and the veterinary come to a worrying conclusion. Ivar had kidney stones. For how long the poor thing had suffered is anyone’s guess, but he was noticed by a guest at the zoo.

Ivar whined at the group and a child told the tour guide, Melinda Summers, that the poor bear was in pain. Truly, the observation of this fine young man earned Ivar a second chance to live.

The mother of the boy, Antonia, shared that they went to the church to pray for the bear. This reporter is sure that their heartfelt plea earned Ivar many more years of a comfortable life. More on page six for Ivar’s life story. 

Sadik hummed, satisfied that Nikola, and he weren’t mentioned. Let someone else take the credit. Sadik didn’t mind, and he doubted that Nikola would, either. He went back to the cottage and looked at houses on his new laptop.

He wanted a fitness room in the house and a sauna and a pool. Furthermore, he found that most of the houses didn’t have that. But, there was a plot of land in the newest neighborhood that had that famous French restaurant.

He looked around on the photos of the land. The place looked big enough for a three-story house, and he found that he wanted to have one of those. Just like his former house. And, there was a view to the forest. It was on the outskirts of town, but, he could drive Nikola around.

They couldn’t remain in the forest. It was one thing to add ten to thirty more minutes to their commute. Another thing to add hours. Besides, the neighborhood had a tennis court and a club for the people living in it. Sadik supposed that they could fill their time outside the zoo with meetings with their neighbors.

But, he couldn’t take the decision by himself. Sadik went and knocked on the door to their bedroom, laptop in hand.

“Niki, I found something, but we won’t be able to move in anytime soon,” Nikola looked at the plot of land. It was huge and between two well-kept houses.

“It looks impressive,” Nikola enjoyed the proximity to the forest. “Please tell me you won’t want a house as big as your old one?”

Sadik sighed. He needed his space. He was feeling almost claustrophobic in this cottage.

“Nothing wrong with wanting a big house,” he said. “I have plans for a pool in the back, a sauna next to the bathroom on the first floor, and a fitness room somewhere in the house. I haven’t decided whether I want it on an upper or lower floor.”

“How many floors do you want?” Nikola said calmly.

“Three, for luck,” Sadik grinned and Nikola groaned.

“Do you know how much cleaning a house like that would need?” Sadik grinned wider.

“I still have a housekeeper in my employee. By the way, she is coming by tomorrow. Will you be here to let her in?” Nikola got an insulted look on his face.

“You think I can’t keep a cottage clean?” Sadik’s grin fell.

“No, it is not like that. You are a wonderful house-wife,” Nikola huffed at that and stood up. “What did I say this time?”

“I will not be your wife, Sadik. Husband is the proper term,” Sadik got a dreamy smile on his face and stood to follow Nikola.

“Yes, sorry. But I don’t see why you should clean. And Emilia needs the job. People don’t hire people in her age group too often. And she looks after her grandson by herself,” Nikola looked guilty at that and Sadik knew he had won.