Kari Strong is dying of a rare disease. Her daughter Marissa, seventeen, has never been in love. With Kari's weak state, the only way of helping her daughter is through letters. She writes a letter for Marissa to open everyday for a year after her d...
I stepped inside when Mrs. Greer opened the door to her beautiful home. It was absolutely breathtaking, Cole never mentioned being rich.
"You have a beautiful home." I smiled as I looked up at the grand ceiling that had a big ceiling fan hanging from it.
"Thank you dear, I'm sure yours was as well." She smiled.
"Oh no, I lived on a farm. My house was more of an antique." I laughed for the first time since my mother's passing.
"My mom would of loved to live in something like this." I ran my fingers along the mahogany table in the entry way.
"Well I'll show you to your room, thank you officer for bringing her home." Cassandra opened the door for the officer and I felt this little twinge of excitement and fear soar through me at the same time.
"You alright? You look a little tense dear." Cassandra said oh so motherly.
"Y-yeah, let's go." I went up the stairs, assuming that's where the bedrooms were.
"Your's is across from Cole's." She pointed to my room on the right after the stairs.
I walked into my room and once again, I was stunned at the beauty. She had a perfect white fluffy bed in the center with drapes hanging from the top of the bed. It was gorgeous. There was plenty of sunlight coming in through the windows. Across from the bed on the other side of the room was a dresser and a vanity, both white. The theme was obviously very modern and white, back in my old house, my room was this old yellow wallpaper, rustic kind of looking. This, this was calming and just so beautiful.
"I'll let you unpack, I'll be downstairs if you need anything. Cole just ran a few errands but he should be back soon. My husband is at work but he'll be home around five. And please Marissa, call me Cassandra." She hugged me which shocked me a little but I wrapped my arms around her like she was my own mother.
"Thank you, for everything." I said once we broke apart from our hug.
"Anything for you dear." She smiled and walked out of my room, shutting the door behind her.
I knew Mrs. Greer was nice but not this nice, she's almost over doing it.
The first thing I did was plop my bag onto the nice comfy bed. I unpacked it slowly, realizing I would be living here until I graduate. It's a lot to take in on such short notice. I folded my clothes and put them into the dresser. I put the special papers my mother addressed to me away in the vanity drawer. Tomorrow's date is on one of them so I must open that one tomorrow. The curiosity was biting me in the ass, I wanted to know so badly what my mother has written for me.
"Mom, I'm home!" A sudden voice from the lower level caused me to jump in mid-air as I just finished unpacking. It must be Cole. Quick, act like you're reading a book or something. I jumped onto the bed and flipped open a magazine that was on the side table.
"Oh hey, you're here." He stuck his head in my doorway. I kept my nose in the magazine, unsure of what to say, gosh this is going to be one awkward year.
"I get it, you don't have to talk to me just yet." He closed my door gently and probably went into his room.
I put the magazine down and sighed. Now what?
As I let my mind wander, my mind of course went straight to my mother. Will there be a funeral for her? Who's arranging it? I have no living relatives to do so. I had to get an answer so I hopped off the bed and gently opened the door, making sure it wouldn't creak and tip toed down the wooden stairs. I found Mrs. Greer watching TV in what I'm assuming is the living room.
"Mrs. Greer." I started, a little nervous.
"Cassandra to you dear, what's up?" She turned the TV off and turned to look at me.
"Um." I took a step into the sunk in living room and walked over to where she was sitting on the couch.
"What's going to happen to my mother? I mean, will there be a funeral?" I instantly choked up, my cheeks turning bright red.
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Author's note: (This is what the living room looks like)
She took a deep breath before speaking, "Yes dear, I was going to tell you about it once I had more information on it. So far there will be a wake, most likely Wednesday the 18th. And the funeral will probably be the day after Thursday morning following a burial service." She explained and I suddenly felt overwhelmed.
"Okay, thank you." I walked away feeling numb. My mom is really gone and she's never coming back.
"Marissa?" Cassandra called as I walked away.
"Marissa? Are you okay?" She yelled out as I was already up the stairs.
"Hey why is my mom yelling, what's going on?" Cole asked, standing in his doorway.
"It's nothing, just planning a funeral is all." I said in monotone voice. I sounded so morbid, I wanted to run into my room and scream until the glass on the windows broke.
He said nothing and I walked into my room, slamming the door shut. I should be more considerate but I don't care, nothing is going to bring my mom back.
I flopped onto my bed on my face, screaming into the blankets. I felt the hot tears roll down my cheeks then. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I sat up on my bed, letting the tears stroll down my face.
"She's gone, she's really gone." I cried, looking at the picture of us that I brought from home.
We were having a picnic at the park, it was my thirteenth birthday. All I wanted was to be with my mother, my best friend by my side that day. And now she won't watch me cross the stage or turn eighteen, watch me get married, be a grandma, the list goes on which only caused more heartache. I hadn't even realized I was sobbing so hard until I felt a warm hand on my back. I looked up to see Cole, rubbing my back.
"C-Cole, she's gone." I instantly wrapped my arms around him and cried on his shirt.
"It's okay, you're okay. You're here now." He soothed me surprisingly really well.
"You promise to never leave me like everyone else in my family did?" I broke apart from the much needed hug and held out my pinky.
"Promise." He hooked his pinky with mine and shook on it.
