The IBM

Chapter 15

3 months after Carla's death, the cold settled in GreysWald state. It's serene mountains covered themselves with white blankets while the rivers became ice grounds. The sun had disappeared somewhere behind the clouds.

Well, it wasn't time for it to be out yet anyway.

Natalie wrapped her grey fleece coat tighter around herself, regretting that she didn't wear something warmer today. Not like she had much options, she hadn't gotten around to shop for winter yet.

Rubbing her hands together, she briskly crossed the road. She proceeded to walk a few blocks until she arrived at the cemetery.

She peeked over the fence until she found her mother's grave. It wasn't hard to find. Her father had made sure her mother got the best spot above the hill with an oak tree beside it.

Natalie took small steps as she walked through the gated fence and up the hill. She didn't know why she came here today of all days. It wasn't like her mother was there. It wasn't like she'd actually accept it.

But Arnold had told her she had to do this. He probably thought that it'll make her feel better.

Initially Natalie had refused. She couldn't bare the thought of going to her mother's grave again but Arnold had kept pestering non stop and Natalie had no choice but to give in.

But not without preparation.

She reached the grave and found it covered with roses, another thing her father made sure of. She read the name on the stone. It was written in cursive.

Tania Orlov.
Loving wife and a mother

She felt something wet on her cheeks. She touched it to see that it was tears. A frown etched on her face. She couldn't fathom why her eyes were shedding tears. She didn't feel anything inside but numbness. The pills she had taken made sure of that. Then why were eyes watering.

She quickly wiped them away before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a rectangular blue box.

She stared at the box for a while contemplating if she was really going to do this. It seemed so stupid and naive. She would've laughed if her mind wasn't so numb.

"Happy birthday." She spoke out loud and staring at the headstone. "I know you can't hear me but Arnold thought this was a good idea."

"I got you present." She sat down besides the grave and opened the box. "I actually bought it before you died, I had this whole party planned too but..." Her words trailed off.

She picked up the bracelet from the blue box. It was quite simple bracelet with a gray chain and only one blue gemstone. It was the kind of bracelet where you were supposed to add a new gemstone each new year. Natalie had hoped that this was something that she and her mother could've done together every year; gone shopping on her every birthday just to buy a new gemstone.

"I thought it would be like a new tradition." Natalie spoke out loud with a small smile on her face.

She felt the wetness on her cheeks again but didn't feel the need to wipe it again. Her mind was so incredibly numb. She couldn't care less.

"Anyway, I'm just going to leave it here and go." She put the bracelet back in the box and set it beside Tania's grave.

She stood up as the cool breeze blew past her. Just for a fleeting moment, her mind went back to a memory from her mother's last birthday where they both were baking a cake.

Natalie shook her head. She didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to think about anything.

Reaching in her pockets again, she pulled out two more pills and shoved them in her mouth.