Healing Hearts

26 || promises

Mateo ⋆｡°✩

We stayed outside, under the night sky, our only activity being the shared enjoyment of each other's company and the peaceful sight of the stars.

She pointed out the brightest and closest star to us, her voice a soft murmur as she said, "When i was a kid, my mom and i used to come outside at night to look at the stars. She adored them. I remember her saying it felt like a part of her was forever connected to them." she took a breath and continued.

"But for me, they always seemed distant, tiny, and not bright enough. However, the night after her death, i saw this huge, bright star directly above our house, almost as if it were watching me." She sighed, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, yet the smile on her face remained there.

She tightened her grip on my hand, and i gave her a gentle nod. "Since then, i've liked to think that the brightest star is her, watching over me."

My heart ached for her; the deep love she had for her mom was evident, and the actions of her dad clearly shattered her young heart.

I pulled her closer, almost feeling our heartbeats sync, and her smile grew, mirroring mine. I wanted to get to know her even more, get deeper into her world and the people she cherished the most.

Realizing i would never have the chance to meet her mother, i hoped to connect with her through her daughter's memories.

"What was your mom like?" i asked softly, my voice filled with tenderness.

She looked down at her legs, gathering her thoughts.

"She was a truly beautiful woman. I'm not just saying that because she is my
mom; her features were so elegant, creating the perfect facial harmony. But her inner beauty was even more remarkable. She had a way with words and knew exactly how to comfort everyone." She sighed, and i nodded, encouraging her to continue, if she wished so.

"When she passed, i really struggled. I often blamed myself, even though i now know that it wasn't my fault," she admitted, her voice tinged with pain.

My heart broke for her again, imagining the mental pain her mother's absence must have caused, largely due to that bastard's actions.

"I honestly don't know what went wrong, and i'm not sure i even want to know why my dad did what he did. I always thought their relationship was healthy and full of love. But i guess i was wrong; the love was one-sided," she confessed, guilt and sorrow evident in her eyes.

I felt a deep compassion for her. "She sounds like an amazing woman," i replied, and she nodded continuously.

"She truly was. She was great with kids, too. She worked as a kindergarten teacher and every Friday, she would bring sweets and flowers for every class. I only know that because i was in one of those classes, though she was never my kindergarten teacher."

My eyes widened in surprise, my lips parting slightly. "Wait, what?" i breathed out, turning to her with a confused brow.

"Mrs. Alyssa?" i asked, and she blinked in surprise before nodding hesitantly.

I grinned, realization dawning on me. "She was the best kindergarten teacher i could've ever asked for," i explained, and her eyes widened, lips forming a sad smile.