Be My Forever

Sunset

Dear Charmaine, today, the sky looks like the ocean. Maine reads aloud as her daughter happily giggles under the covers.

The dark, opaque clouds sit under the sun just the way the horizon does.

"What about the sun, mama? What's it doing?" the bright three year old exclaims, eyes bright and curious but tired all the same.

"Don't be loud, darling, it's preparing for bed. The light gets tired too," she replies with a wink, kissing the tip of the child's nose and intertwining their fingers together.

Now look over. Maine continues. Those transparent, white ones? They serve as the vast waters.

"Mama," she whispers this time, afraid to disrupt the sun's rest, "Maybe if we look closer, we'll see our reflections." Charmaine's eyes flutter, lashes lightly touching her prominent cheekbones. Maine lets out a breathy chuckle and attempts to blink back tears.

Do you see the large cotton-like clouds?  the latter reads on, whispering as well.

Those are the waves crashing against the calm surfaces, disrupting serenity. somehow, we always find peace in chaos, don't we? her daughter gives her a slight nod, exhaustion now evident in the child's face.

The blue contrasts that hide behind the clouds is the safe shore.

"The one we find comfort in," Charmaine finishes. Maine only smiles sadly.

"My sweet, you can keep your feet on the ground, but remember to hold your head high in the clouds," she clears her throat to choke back a sob.

"You can't be weak now," Maine reprimands herself.

"Baby," she whispers, "finish it with me, okay?" the child's head only falls on Maine's shoulders in an unsuccessful attempt to nod, and the mother gives the small hand in her's a squeeze.

"Soon," they both whisper, "the darkness will hug us tight."

The monitor lets out a deafening flat line, and Maine can no longer hold it in. She crumbles and hugs her daughter tightly, the tears falling fast and staining her colorless face.

"But fear not, my love, I will be here."