Broken Glass

Chapter 12: A Box of Memories

Emily's determination to move forward was short-lived. As she began to pace around her room, her eyes landed on a small, wooden box in the corner of her closet. It was an old music box, one that her mom had given her on her last birthday.

Emily's heart skipped a beat as she walked over to the box. She hadn't opened it since her mom's funeral, hadn't been able to bear the thought of looking at the memories inside.

But now, something compelled her to open it. She lifted the lid, and a faint melody filled the air. Inside, she found a collection of mementos from her childhood: a lock of her baby hair, a drawing she had made in kindergarten, a photo of her and her mom at the beach.

As Emily sifted through the box, she felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her. She remembered the happy times, the laughter, the adventures she had shared with her mom.

But as she delved deeper into the box, Emily's emotions began to shift. She felt a pang of sadness, of loss, of regret. She wished she had spent more time with her mom, wished she had appreciated her more when she was alive.

Emily's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at a photo of her and her mom on her last birthday. Her mom was smiling, her eyes shining with love and happiness. Emily felt like she was staring at a ghost, like her mom was haunting her.

As the tears streamed down her face, Emily realized that she wasn't just grieving the loss of her mom. She was grieving the loss of her own childhood, of her own innocence. The memories she had uncovered in the box were bittersweet, a reminder of all that she had lost.

With a heavy heart, Emily closed the box, the music fading away into silence. She knew that she couldn't stay stuck in the past, but for now, it was all she had left of her mom. The memories, though painful, were all that kept her mom alive in her heart.