Forever is a lie.

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I stepped my warm feet into the cold water starting a burning yet satisfying feeling. I'm only 2 years old! How am I supposed to swim?! My mother swings me up and I let out a squeak, I cling to her back, it's warm as always filling me with joy even if I want to blow up. She splashes me with the clean lake water therefor I splash her back.

"Hold on sweetie." she says with a grin that's slowly fading as she puts me on a tall rock. She checks her phone, but the ground starts shaking. I don't know if my mind is playing tricks on me or if something was bad. I look at my mom, I have never seen her this way. Her eyes are wide and she looks sad.

"Mommy, what's going on?" I ask.
A tear slips from her eye.

           "I'm sorry sweetie, I have to leave I will be back..." she said almost in the stage of a sob. She kissed my forehead. She then took off her pink hat that I always referred to a flying saucer. She put it upon my head, it still had her touch. I did have a feeling this was the end, I would never be joyful again. I wailed and she ran, I could tell she was speeding up trying to run away from the stinging pain of my sobs. I wiped my tears and brushed my dirty blonde hair out of my eyes. I curled into a ball on the wet rock, this was the end.

Dear Mom.
It's been 5 years since you left and you won't believe what has happened. I taught myself how to swim! I think you have to cup your hands and move them up and down fast in order to keep your head above water. Then you kick your legs, I remember you laughed whenever I did that in the bath tub. Do you remember ducky? He could teach me how to stay afloat! I met some fishes but I don't think they like me. Every night I know you will come back. Right? I set up our special rocks we collected in a neat pile! Maybe you can find me from the rocks...who knows. I believe you will be here soon, don't worry I have faith. I get food from plants and I drink the water in the I still haven't touched real ground in five years I guess. Every night I sit on the rock you left me on and I hug the hat tight and my tears soak into it, I think it still smells like you, I wish it would stay that way forever. I remember you told me one night when we were walking underneath the stars by this lake, "Forever is true. Forever means always, forever means nothing can break. And I will forever be with you." I have little thoughts about it through parts of the day, sometimes I think it's made up but at the same time I believe you with all my heart. I miss you mom,
Lilac.