Jewel

Chapter 5

*6 years old*

Mommy hasn't been feeling that well lately. Daddy has stayed home from work too the past few weeks to help her. Jackson has been at his friend Mike's house and I've been at Blake's. I really hope mommy is okay. I'm sure she is though; my mommy is the strongest person I know.

In the mean time, Mrs. Todd has been taking Blake and I to school every day. We are in first grade now and most of our friends from kindergarten are in our class again. We also go to school all day now and we don't have nap time. Not that I usually enjoyed nap time to begin with, but not having it is a real bummer.

After school, Blake and I sit at the kitchen table in his house and do our homework together. Our teacher, Mrs. Krissy, likes to call it "study buddies."

I am sitting on one of the higher chairs, swinging my feet under the table and twirling my pencil in my hand when Mrs. Todd comes down stairs to get Blake and I to bring us to see mommy. She sleeps at the hospital sometimes and daddy stays with her to keep her company. Last night was one of those nights, so we're headed to go visit my mommy now. I make sure to grab my last art project that I finished to show her. She always loves to see my drawings and I love making them for her.

The lights in the hospital are very bright and they hurt my eyes sometimes, but I don't let it slow me down as I march into mommy's room with my drawing high in my hand.

"Shh" daddy shushes as soon as we walk in. "Mommy's sleeping."

"No, I'm not" mom counters from the bed. "Hi, Mere bear," she holds her weak arm out to me. There are so many tubes in her arm and so many machines around her. Her hair isn't done up like it always was and she doesn't wear as much make up any more but she is still so beautiful to me.

I carefully cross the room to her bed and place a gentle kiss on her palm like daddy taught me, then I press her hand to my cheek. "Hi, mommy. How do you feel today?"

"I'm hangin' in there, baby. Mommy'll be okay. Whatcha got there?" she asks, noticing the paper in my hand.

"My new drawing I did in art class! It's a light pink rose, your favorite! See, I even wrote "to: mommy, from: mere" in the corner." I proudly show off my creation.

"Sweetie, that's beautiful!" she takes the paper and brings it closer to her eyes to look at it. After her closer look, she has me put it up on the counter above her bed and I happily oblige. Then Blake and I have a seat in the giant chair, well it's only giant to us because we are still little, next to the bed and continue talking to my mom for a while. We tell her all about our day and recess and the new friends in our first grade class.

Soon, mom gets sleepy even though it's only 6 o'clock at night and Mrs. Todd takes Blake and I back home. Before I leave I make sure to give mom another kiss and small hug. "Meredith," mom cups my cheek.

"Hmm"

"I just want you to know you are the best daughter any mommy could ever ask for. You are my pride and joy and are so beautiful inside and out. You are always my jewel, you got that babe?"

"I get it from my mommy. You're the brightest and most pretty shining jewel I know. I love you."

"I love you so much." Something funny happens to her voice when she says that and for some reason it makes a tear want to well in my eyes. Before it has a chance to fall, daddy shoos us out of the room and I hold onto Mrs. Todd's hand on the way back to the car.

"Mrs. Todd, when will my mommy come home?" I ask. I miss my mom being home to cook me yummy food and play with me when she's not helping me with my homework.