Finding Home

Saying Goodbye

The dreary dawn  arrived. I stumbled out of bed, my hair in a frenzy and my whole body shaking, anticipating a wide spectrum of emotions for the day. Yawning sleepily, I dragged myself to the window and pulled the curtains wide open, hoping for the sun's gleaming rays to create the smallest spark in me. However, I was met by the rain pouring down like a waterfall as if the whole world was crying for me and my family. 

Tears filled my eyes once again as I looked around my bare and empty room and slowly changed into the clothes laid neatly on my bed: A satin, beautiful black dress fell onto me and the smooth material caressed my skin. I did a couple of twirls before crumpling into a heap on the bed and kicking my legs furiously as I didn't want to step out of my room for the last time. 

My quilt swallowed me up and I almost was sucked up into a world of happiness and coziness but I came back to reality when Sarah stepped into my room. "Sapphire dear, Fiona and Emerald are already in the dining room eating breakfast, please come down. " I looked up at her and croaked, "Sarah I don't want to leave." 

Sarah knelt down beside me and took my hands. "Sapphire, no one wants to leave but promise me, Fiona, Emerald and you will all stick together at our new home. You will forever be with your sisters and we will all endure the pain of separation together. You won't have to suffer alone." Giving me a big hug, she swooped me up in her arms and carried me down the stairs before carefully placing me down in my chair. Fiona and Emerald had already finished and were starting to clear away their plates. I wolfed down my cereal before running to the kitchen and washing my bowl before putting it back into the cupboard. 

"Sapphire!" called Fiona and Emerald. I ran out to the front door where all my sisters and Mother were standing and gave them all a big hug. "Mother I will..really..miss you," I whispered. Emerald nodded and gave Mother a kiss on the cheek but Mother's whole face seemed far away and sombre. "Mother please take care of yourself," Sarah started, "Aunt Saffron will be over every hour to check up on you. Please look after your health." 

However, Mother stood still, expressionless. 

"So, I guess this is goodbye Ma," Fiona finally concluded. I watched as everyone broke down into tears and hugged and kissed Mother as she silently looked away. Was this really the last memory I was going to think of when I thought of Mother? Why did she look so distant and distracted?" 

"MA TALK TO US!" I screamed. Everyone stared at me and Mother jolted out of her daydream and looked straight into my eyes. "MA PLEASE TALK TO US. YOU NEED TO SPEAK MA. IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT US ALL TO LEAVE TO? AT LEAST LOOK AT US MA. PLEASE!" I cried desperately. 

However, Mother only looked but never even opened her mouth to utter a single word. Anger took over me and I stormed through the door before slamming it shut. Sarah ran out behind me and grabbed my dress, " Sapphire, my love, what did you just do? That wasn't polite at all! Please come back in and apologise to Mother sincerely." 

I irately stomped my foot and yelled, " NO SARAH! NO! MOTHER DOESN'T CARE ABOUT US. WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT HER? JUST COME OUT WITH FIONA AND EMERALD, I WANT TO MEET OUR NEW FAMILY. THEY WILL PROBABLY CARE FOR ME MORE THAN MOTHER!"

Sarah looked horrified as I grunted and turned around, refusing to look at Mother. After a couple of minutes of muttering and whimpering, all my sisters were out the door and walking down the road in silence to the station when all of a sudden, " Okay, I can't keep my mouth shut anymore. What were you thinking, Sapphire dear? I understand that Mother didn't talk back to us but..." Fiona paused, "Sarah should we tell them?". Me and Emerald looked at each other in confusion and Sarah sighed, then nodded before explaining, " Sorry my dear sisters from keeping this from both of you, but Mother is seriously ill. " 

Me and Emerald gasped.

While Fiona squeezed my shoulder reassuringly, Sarah continued, "Me and Fiona saw Dr Theodore the other night and asked about Mother as we were seriously concerned about her. Dr Theodore checked Mother thoroughly before saying that Mother's emotions were unable to cope with the amount of changes that were going to happen in such a short period of time that she has gone mute and her body is so shook that it can't function as well as it is supposed to. " 

I felt my legs wobbling and my head bursting as I had realised what I had done. "Sarah, oh.. ooh no.. please can we go back..I need to apologise to..Mother..oh no..what..what have I done? I feel horrible." Sarah sadly shook her head and beckoned us all around the corner of the road before continuing, "I knew that you didn't mean what you said so I told Mother that you were just upset and she did a slight nod. She understands Sapphire I promise." 

"Thank you Sarah," I replied.

" However,  Doctor Theodore predicts that Mother will start losing her memory within a couple of months if she doesn't recover soon.  That's why I told Aunt Saffron to just cross the street and check up on Mother every hour. If Mother's health deteriorates, Aunt Saffron has kindly agreed to live in our home and look after her every day, but hopefully we will all be back by then and can take care of Mother ourselves," Fiona finished. Just as I was about to ask more, terror struck: 

We had arrived at the train station...