Raindrop [✅]

Part 5

"Sonita, why don't you close the window? The rain is starting to wet you floor." I open my eyes to the sound that comes from my bedroom entrance. I slide my window close and turn my head toward a middle-aged women standing outside my bedroom.

"Yes, mom. I am sorry. I just lost myself in the rain" I apologize to her. The woman walks towards me and embraces me in her arms. She kisses the top of my head and says "Come on, dear. Dinner is ready. Your dad is starving."

"I'll be down there soon."

She smiles and kisses me on a cheek. "I'll see you in ten minutes." I nod and smile back at her. I watch as she makes her elegant walk towards the downstairs kitchen

It is on this very same weather that my life underwent so much change.

6 months ago

Wailing in pain, I opened my eyes to find myself sleeping on a soft mattress with a clean blanket and nice pajamas. I winced as I tried to sit up and looked at the two persons in front of me.

"How is your feeling, little girl?" a middle-aged woman leaned down to ask me and put her palm on my forehead. "You fever seems to recede. Are you hungry?"

"Yes" I weakly managed an answer. "But where am I? Where are my mom and my brother? Are they alright?"

I suddenly remembered about the accident. The middle-aged woman sadly stared at a man whom I resumed was her husband, and shook her head.

The middle-aged men stepped in a little closer and said "I am so sorry about your family, but they are all gone. My wife and I already arranged their funerals yesterday. You were unconscious for three days, little girl."

I wanted to scream but I did not have the strength to do so. I just let the tears cascaded down my cheeks continuously. The woman sat down on the bed and hugged me gently the way my mom used to hold me. I cried even harder.

"Oh! But what is it that you are holding? Please open your palm to let the blood circulate properly into your veins. You have been balling it up for days." the woman stared at my closed palm.

"It was the last thing my mom gave me before she passed away. I do not want to lose it."

"Not to worry dear. You can put it on this nightstand. This room is yours now. No one will steal it from you." The man guaranteed with his words and the woman nodded. I hesitated but opened it anyway. When the couples saw the ring in my palm, they gasped and stared into each other's eyes in disbelieved.

*****

I open my eyes to the sunlight shining into my room. I walk towards the window and look at the outside view. Yesterday was a rainstorm, and now it is a sunshine, I shake my head slightly thinking of how funny the climate change is.

Ten minutes have passed, I make myself ready for the journey to the place I have come from.

Under the burning sun, I stand alongside my parents and stare into holes on the ground that are being dug to make canals. Since Kompong Speur province is frequently facing drought, my parents decide to help build the canals as irrigation. Also, we also reforest many plants to help absorbing the clouds to provide the rain. I hope these strategies can reduce the drought problem from my province.

I know this place is the last place that I want to be again because of the things I have suffered, yet it is also this very same place that help me carry on my life to what I have today. Looking at the familiar settings all around me, I really hope the people residing here will not have to suffer from the drought ever again.

It turned out my late mom was the one who took me in after I had gotten lost from my real parents. She raised me up so good as if I were her real daughter. I am so thankful for what she have done to me. I will forever remember her to the depth of my heart. And I will do my best to help the people who share the same land as my mother.