From the diary of Griselda Vargas-Beilschmidt

11

Short & fluffy & death rant

Being sick has its perks. Like bed, feeding and the constant attention in general.

Now I'm still ill enough to not go to school, but well enough to enjoy the attention. Plus, dads are back! So now I spend my days cuddled to someone. Vati's like a living heater at times, but he doesen't cuddle back much - he just lays there and lets me or Papa or dogs with Mitzi make ourselves comfortable.

Like, Vati just sits on the couch and starts reading or something, and Papa just slides over from the other side and cuddles at his side. It's a flash - one moment he's sitting up and then he's being cuddled. If this was an Olympic sport, Papa would win gold. Pity it isn't. But might be one day...

Papa cuddles back all the time. ALL THE TIME. He's just affectionate, okay? And I mean, it's not like I don't enjoy it, just...sometimes I'd appreciate a tiny bit of personal space. Like, you don't have to hug me for five minutes at the school gate...

So I was cuddling with Vati, Papa was cooking and the smell of pasta was flowing through our house, dogs are still gone, so they couldn't interfere the cooking, Mitzi was peacefully sitting at a sunny place...

I love my life.

Which reminds me of death.

Sometimes I ask where do nations go when they die. Is there a heaven reserved just for them? Do they just dissappear without a trace from the face of Earth or from the afterlife when they're forgotten, like in Coco? Or do they reincarnate? Are they our guardian angels? Can they send us a message or a sign? If they could, would they?

So many questions, yet so little answers, if any. I asked dads, Uncles, "big brother" (to be explained later) Norway, Nordics, Mr England, Romania, Mr China, Mr Canada, even Russia.

No one seems to know.

But they sure have theories.

Norway and the Nordics says they're in Valhalla, where they feast.

England admits they might just disappear.

Romania thinks their souls turn into bats and fly in the night, which is, gotta admit, really cool. I'd definitely like that.

Vati explained that he thought about it a lot, but no answer came. He thinks they might be in some kind of paradise altogether. I like that version as well. I'd like to be able to play with Gabe in the afterlife just like now. It would suck all alone.

Papa started tearing up, so I quickly changed the subject.

Uncle Romano just gave me a weirdly pained look.

Russia was smiling creepily, so I was like "Nope, not today" and walked away.

Canada just hopes they have maple syrup in there.

I hope they're reunited with those they love wherever they are.

Just like I'm with them now.