Lion (An Ashton Irwin Story)

Prologue

"How did that day begin?" asks the all too inquiring news reporter.

Before taking a few breaths the woman starts, "Well, it was like any day really."

The woman brushes her hand against her forehead obviously a nervous gesture. She adjusts herself in her seat before slowly continuing.

"Hailey left for school at about 7:00 or so. Um...she would usually wake me up in the morning to you know say goodbye and what not. But...but she didn't that day. She uh...she said in a text message later that she knew I stayed up late and she wanted to let me sleep in for a change since I didn't well don't go into work 'til 9:00."

The news reporter nods in clear reflection of what this broken woman is saying.

As her confidence arises the woman slowly treads on, "She well um...she left me my turkey sandwich in the fridge like she always did before she left. And um she text me...actually..."

All talking ceases as the woman rummages through the purse to get her phone. She quickly flips through the screen and as she comes to what she is looking for her eyes glaze over.

"Here it is, this is the message Hailey sent me in the morning after she left. She text me, 'Hey mom :) sorry I left without waking you. I know you went to sleep last night late and I didn't want to wake you. I'll see you in the afternoon.' And then 2 minutes later she sent, 'Oh and your turkey sandwich is in the fridge. Okay have a nice day! Love you xx.' Even in her text messages she was so grammatically correct with her capital letters and periods," the woman says with a grin.

Starting slowly the reporter continues with, "What, what went through your mind when you first heard the news?"

This time the woman quickly answers, "Not my daughter. Not my Hailey."