"Momma, look at this!" She went to grab the beautifully red flower, unaware of the small danger it posed, even if it was just a flower.
"Be careful honey, roses have thorns." Her mother warned her fairly, but it was a few moments too late.
"Owww! It got me mom!" She wined, her finger bleeding from the rose's thorn.
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"Every rose do have their thorns, be careful next time sweetie..."
"I'm sorry momma, it just looked so pretty, it reminded me of you!"
"Hehe, that's very sweet of you. I'm glad I raised such a wonderful daughter."
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The trees were blowing in the wind, there lay the two of them, the daughter and the mother in the cool tall grass, admiring the stars. Crickets created a calm therapeutic scene as the two relaxed side by side.
"Look, a shooting star momma!" She pointed up to the sky as a shooting star passed by.
"Make a wish sweetie, it might come true," the mother responded, her gaze drifting to her daughter, the softest hint of a smile found on her lips.
"I wish to be with you forever and ever!" The daughter giggled, tackling her mother into a hug.
Her mother laughed along with her;
The sound almost bittersweet.
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"Momma, this looks so pretty on you!" The daughter giggled, glancing at her mother's fabric, the kimono hugging her waist and loosely hanging down to her feet.
"Perhaps I should get one for you too, I'm sure it would look stunning on you." Her mother smiled down at her daughter, before her hand traced down her arm to hold her hand.
"Come now, we have free time before dinner. We can go get one for you downtown." The mother lead her daughter out of the house.
They walked along with small talk, about how the sky looked, how the flower bushes outside their house never seemed to die out, and how the daughter admired the dandelions out on the grass along the road, in yards.
Eventually making it to the local clothing store, her mother lead the daughter inside the shop.
"Do you know what I'm wearing is called?" Her mother looked down at her daughter, her eyes softened, loving for her daughter.
"A dress?" The daughter tilted her head up at her mother, as the mother shook her head with a smile.
"It's called a Kimono, and you treat it with good care, okay?" The mother placed a hand on her shoulder, leading her to another part of the store- Where the Kimonos were found.
"Woahh, they're all so pretty!" The daughter happily dug through the selection, before eyeing one in specific. "Can I get this one? It's so pretty!~" The daughter carefully, but excitedly took the Kimono off the rack-
A beautifully woven light themed Kimono, embroidered with white and a light pink with darker pink flower shapes over the main part. The belt part had light pink with a stripe of dark pink, and a flower to tie the Kimono on.
"I think this would look beautiful on you, my little blossom."
The mother happily bought the Kimono for her daughter, the Kimono carefully packed into a paper bag, and folded it shut.
"What's for dinner again momma?" The daughter looked up to her mother, her grip tightening on her mother's hand.
"We're going to be having one of the chickens from the coop," she replied. Her eyes gazed down, before looking back to where they were walking.
"But momma! That's so cruel!" The daughter frowned, she had always cared for animals, especially the ones they cared for.
"Would you prefer to stay hungry?" She softly laughed.
"No..." She pouted for a moment, staring at the ground and kicking a few rocks along the way.
Along the way, they reached the edge of town. Not too far from the house, dinner should be made soon if it wasn't done already.
The two of them came across 3 men, the mother and daughter didn't think much of it until the men approached them, placing a knife against the daughter's throat.
"If you dare yell or scream, we will kill her here and now. If you want her to be safe, come with us." The mother looked between the three of them before her daughter.
"Honey, I'll be leaving with these men, please go home." Her smile was worrisome but gave her daughter a hug. One of the men grinned as they pushed her along- Leaving the daughter in the road, standing there. Should she go back-?
No, her mother told her to go home... So, she did.
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Mother and wife, Maria Bento found dead in abandoned home.
The words were splattered across the newspaper, the daughter's father unable to come up with an easy way to tell his daughter that her mother would not be coming back.
He was heartbroken, and he was more than sure that she would be too. He stood up from the kitchen table, making his way to his daughter's bedroom.
"Are you in here...?" He peeked his head in the doorway, seeing her with her painting supplies on her desk.
"Yeah, I'm here," she replied, looking to him a moment after.
"I have some heartbreaking news, and the easiest way to tell you is that your mother won't be coming back..."
"Huh..? Why not?" The daughter placed the paintbrush down and turned to look at her father. She was wearing the Kimono her mother bought her.
"She unfortunately has moved on honey; she will be living a new life." The father sat down on her bed, newspaper in hand.
"Wha...?"
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Mother and wife, Maria Bento found dead in abandoned home.
A young woman, only 26 years old, was found dead with severe injuries, including knife and gun wounds, bleeding from her mouth and private areas, along with tight marks around her ankles and wrists. Hair was torn out in the crime scene; officers are unable to depict who have done such a thing.
Suspects have been chosen and are being questioned.
Maria had a husband, Hunter Bento, and a daughter, who will be missed dearly from both of them.
