Bound by Justice

-CHAPTER 2-

VALERIA

Waking up from my nap, I feel energized, but my spirit is still low. I'm sure spending time with the twins is gonna lift my mood. They're my light in the darkness. My hope when I feel dispirited, and discouraged. They're my warmth when I'm cold. I know it sounds cheesy, but that's what I think of them. I think my life without them is unimaginable, especially since Mom's death.

I was laying in bed, staring at my ceiling feeling numb. It had already been a week since Mom died, I didn't know what to do. I felt lost.

The tears I'd been holding slid down my cheeks as I sobbed. I didn't know what to do, and most of all, I felt guilty. I felt guilty that I didn't try enough, I wasn't a good enough daughter to her, and now, she was gone. What was I supposed to do without her? What about the twins? They were too young to experience this. They didn't even know the meaning of death.

As love, death is always unexpected, sometimes, we are prepared to face it and we know when it's our time to go, but other times, it hits us like a truck in the most unpredicted ways.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Mira, and Maïra came in. I hastily wiped my tears, but they wouldn't stop. I couldn't stop sobbing.

They gently approached me, and climbed on the bed with a bit of struggle. They hugged me as I cried. They were stronger than me, they weren't crying, but I knew it was because they didn't understand. They didn't understand the reality of death.

"Val, why are you crying?" Mira ask in a small voice.

It felt so hard to say those words. "Mom is gone."

I felt so helpless, like I was in an ocean, and the water was trying to drown me. To push me down, and just make me give up, but deep down, I knew I couldn't do that. I couldn't selfishly give up because if I did, who would take care of the twins? Who would feed them, and give them all the love they deserve? There was no one else to do that apart from me, and I had already promised Mom that I would care for them, protect them like she protected me. But I was barely hanging on, the grief felt too much for me, and I was feeling tempted to let the water submerge me, and give up. It was just so hard.

"She's not gone forever," Maïra said, staring at me with her sparkling blue eyes.

"She's right. Mom will never be gone as long as we have memories of her," Mira continued.

"Do you remember what Mom used to say?" Mira asked, and my lips quivered as I said that phrase.

"Nothing is never really gone as long as we keep them in our heart."

Mom used to say that all the time. I think it was her way of preparing us for her death, guess I wasn't prepared enough for it.

"That means that Mom is not gone. She's here, we just can't see her," Maïra held my hand as if offering me her support.

"But, we can feel her here," they put both of their small palms on my chest, where my heart is located.

I took both hands and kissed them, "Thank you so much. I love you," I said with a small smile. I could feel some of the pain in my heart disappearing, leaving behind this warmth of love.

We laid on the bed and they hugged each side of me. At that moment, I promised to make sure to give them everything they deserved, be it love, care, anything because they deserved.

Children maybe small, and young, but sometimes, they're wiser than most adults.

Ever since that day, they've been the blessings of my life. Sometimes, I wonder how I was alive before they were born?