Goddess Child of the Gods' of Justice

Chapter 7

I sat on my mother’s bedside, both of her cold palms in my own. Now she was sick. All the stress over the past few days cumulated to her neglecting her own needs. Three days of little to no food caused her to slip into a catatonic state. The physician said she would be fine with a few days rest and food.

It’s hard though. It is as if my mother has lost her will to live. As one of the strongest women I know, that scares me. It truly makes me want to curl up in a ball and cry.

After my first true heart to heart with my sister only hours before, we made our way hand in hand to mothers’ room to find her still as death. I am meant to leave in less than an hour, but I can’t seem to drag myself away.

My mother lays flat, eyes unstaring at the ceiling, a hand held by both me and my sister.

The only way to tell she is not gone from this world is the excruciatingly slow intakes of breath and silent exhales. Tears fill my eyes once again, though not a one spills over. I have done my crying. Now I must hasten to ready.

I kiss my mothers’ brow, squeeze my sisters’ hand one last time, and make my way to my room to pack.

With a deep cleansing breath, in then out, I push everything else out of my mind.  If I am going to be successful, I have to be thinking with a clear head.

Walking to my closet, I pull out the trunk with all of my riding pants, shirts, pretty much all of the clothes that are not princess themed. Grabbing the sturdy bag left awaiting my arrival, I neatly fold one piece at a time. Within five minutes I have a good week or so worth of clothing, a few different pairs of walking or riding shoes, as well as some warm cloaks. If my math is correct, it is nearing time for the temperatures to drop drastically at nightfall and we will be stopping only a few hours a day for rest. If there is one thing I know, it is darn cold on a forest floor at night even without the weather changing.

I am just about to close the door when I notice a shimmer in the back corner.

Bewildered, I squat to retrieve whatever it may be. My heart jumps into my throat, my eyes fill once more, and broken sobs envelope my body, completely unwelcomed.

When I was nine, Mika bought me a silly bracelet at the town fair from one of the vendors. It was hideous really, but it was shiny and from him so I adored it. One day Jonathan walked in pretty as you please, placed it around his wrist, and proclaimed with a toothie grin ‘Sissy! Pwi-ee Pwi-ee!!’. Needless to say, it was so darn cute of him, I allowed him to play with it for a few moments. I was finishing work on some assignment, Calligraphy perhaps, and figured it was fine to allow him to play with it, keep him occupied until I was finished.

As with all babies though, a few minutes later, I looked and realized he no longer had it. That was the only time I was, though irrationally, angry with him. I had the bracelet for years and adored it and in a matter of moments it was lost.

I spent hours that night and next few days and could never find it. I thought it was lost for good.

Here it was. Just sitting in the back corner unnoticed.

I can still see the look of joy on his thirteen month old face, his dimples showing proudly on his chubby cheeks; eyes alight with wonder at the treasure he had found.

I now regret the distance I put between us those few days after. It was just three silly days of me being annoyed with him and ignoring him. Now, however, I wish I had them back. You never know when someone you love’s time will come. Things happen every day. I wish I had spent those three senseless days enjoying time with him instead of acting like a bratty child.

By now my sobs are only random hitches in my breathing, along with a few hiccups.

With a deep breath, I place the simple bangle around my wrist, splash some water from the basin onto sticky face, and make my way to the front hall to meet with Jareth and Mika.