Dear Edith,

"I suppose we'd better get going then." He gently pulled her up from the ground and bowed. "May I escort you, Miss Edith?

"Of course, Father. But what does an escort mean?"

"Well, it means someone who stays by your side to keep you safe and keep your company."

"I'd like to have you as an escort forever!"

"Really? For now and forever?"

"For now and forever."

..

Edith Caldwell mourns her beloved father's death as he's executed in a false accusation of betrayal.

Months pass, yet the empty feeling of her father's absence still sickens her. Her siblings seem to be fully recovered, showing no sign of remorse. It disappoints rather than surprises Edith though, as they were never as close to their father as she was.

Yet even so, Edith would have imagined her mother to be mournful. Her parents had a lovely romance and adored each other. The only change in her mother that Edith could detect was that from a wife to a widow.

The Caldwells face many challenges as they age. Will Edith ever be able to regain control of her mental state, or will she be haunted by her father's death until her own dying days?

..

For all audiences

⚠️⚠️TW: Includes death, grieving, panic attacks, hallucinations; If it's a triggering topic, this may not be the content best for you.

Collaborated with @Plutonian42. This story is also posted on AO3 (Archive of Our Own) on her account: @moonchildfortytwo (https://archiveofourown.org/works/31758841/chapters/78612700) (I don't think you can actually use/press the link but try it anyway)