Vigesimal Year

Chapter 4: Blissful Pause

5th day in the month of Solaris, year 291 of the 30th calendar (5th of Solaris, 291/30)

Months had passed since Lily's mother, Mercy, had contracted the deadly virus. The entire family had been anxiously awaiting the day when she would finally be cleared and allowed to return home. The weight of the past months had taken its toll on Lily and her sister, Emily, as they longed for their mother's presence and warmth.

One evening, as the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the quiet neighborhood, Lily sat by the window, lost in her thoughts. She watched as the trees swayed gently in the breeze, their branches reaching out as if embracing the hope that was about to arrive.

Suddenly, the front door creaked open, and Lily's heart skipped a beat. She turned her gaze towards the entrance, her eyes widening with anticipation. There, standing in the doorway, was Mercy, her mother, looking tired but with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"Lily! Emily!" Mercy called out, her voice filled with a mixture of exhaustion and joy. Lily's heart soared at the sound of her mother's voice, a melody she had longed to hear for months.

Lily rushed towards her mother, her feet barely touching the ground. She threw her arms around Mercy, burying her face in her mother's embrace. Tears of relief streamed down Lily's cheeks as she held onto her tightly, never wanting to let go.

Emily, clutching her favorite stuffed toy, ran towards them, a wide smile stretching across her face. "Mommy!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with pure delight. She joined the embrace, wrapping her small arms around her mother's waist.

Mercy held her daughters close, tears of joy mingling with their own. "I missed you both so much," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'm so glad to be home with you."

Lily looked up at her mother, her eyes shining with gratitude. "We missed you too, Mom," she said, her voice filled with a mixture of relief and love. "It was hard without you, but we took care of each other."

As the family stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, the weight of the past months began to lift. In that moment, they found peace in the reunion, knowing that they had overcome the darkest of times together. The glimmer of hope had turned into a radiant flame, illuminating their path forward.

Then suddenly, Lily remembered something, her mind began to wander towards the upcoming celebration of Emily's ninth birthday. Two weeks from now, her little sister would be turning a year older, and Lily was determined to make it a memorable day despite the limitations imposed by the pandemic and the ongoing worldwide lockdown.

Lily pulled away from the embrace, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Mom, we have to plan something really special for Emily's birthday," she exclaimed, her voice filled with anticipation. "Even though we can't have a big party, we can still make it an amazing day just for us."

Mercy smiled, her heart filled with gratitude for her daughters' resilience. "You're right, Lily. We'll make sure it's a day Emily will always remember," she replied, her voice gentle yet determined.

The three of them gathered around the kitchen table, their minds buzzing with ideas. Lily took out a notepad and pen, ready to jot down their plans. "First, we should cook all of Emily's favorite foods," Lily suggested, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "She loves spaghetti and chocolate cake, so we definitely need to include those."

Emily's eyes widened with excitement as she listened to her sister's plans. "And we can make homemade pizza too!" she chimed in, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "With all my favorite toppings!"

Mercy nodded, her heart swelling with love for her daughters. "That sounds like a delicious feast," she said, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "We'll make sure it's a birthday meal fit for a princess."