A Mother's Love

Chapter Five

    Dealing with the news of Carl's death had already become a huge impact on the entire family. Karissa and her kids have had many family members come over to their house for the past week or so. Flowers and sympathy cards were given from everybody that the McBride family has ever known. Karissa became overwhelmed by the amount of support that she, Gracelyn and Daniel were getting. But the only thing that was overwhelming her the very most was having to accept the fact that even though her kids are practically teenagers, she was going to have to be battling the life of a single mother. "Everything is going to be okay." Everyone including her own parents have told her, but Karissa knew more than most people that not everything is going to be okay. She could see that both of her kids are broken and still in the state of shock after experiencing what was unfortunately the unexpected.
    "Mom, how are the kids and I are going to manage without Carl?" Karissa cries to her mother that one late night while everyone was sleeping. Her mother moves in closer beside her daughter and holds her hand tightly, "Dear, you and the kids are the strongest human beings that I have ever known. Don't let Carl's death become a burden, let it be the way that God has planned on, he has taken Carl for a reason.", "Then I feel that God is punishing me for being a bad person and is showing me that I don't deserve to have happiness.", "You know that's not true Honey.", "If he is making this a blessing, then why on earth does he expect me to be able to afford Carl's expenses like this house. I can't afford it with my wage Mom. The kids and I are going to have to give up the American dream that I have once pictured.", "I know Honey, this is why your father and I want to use our retirement fund to pay the mortgages on this house so you three can stay in it.", "I can't ask you to do that Mom, I really do appreciate the offer but I can't accept it.", "You have to Honey.", "No Mom...".
    Karissa then looks down at her arms that had showed some scars that were fading, some deep. "Don't go look back." Her mother says while placing her hand underneath her daughter's chin, "Carl would have wanted you guys to keep going forward.". Karissa sighs and looks at her mother in the eyes and burst into tears. "There, there Mommy is here Karissa." Her mother says squeezing her. Karissa soon moved out of her mother's embrace and wiped the tears from her eyes and sighed once more. "Mom, I feel that without Carl...I can't keep continuing on as a mother since Gracelyn is seeing me as a satin from hell.", "No she doesn't Karissa, you have got to remember that I have been there with the three of you. You all have acted like teenagers once, I promise you that she will do the same.", "I really hope you are right on that Mom.".
    After having that conversation with her mother, Karissa had soon become the only person to still be up during the night. She wanted to go check on Gracelyn and Daniel to see if they were sleeping. She goes into Daniel's room first, opening his bedroom door, peeking through the crack of the door. The room was dark and she could see him sleeping on one of his sides. As soon as she closed the door slowly, she walked very slowly to Gracelyn's room who had a "KEEP OUT" sign hanging at the very front, plus all bunch of random pictures that were cut out of magazines of her favourite rock singers. She opens the door quietly to her surprise it was unlocked which was always locked from Gracelyn. She could see her laying on her back, facing the ceiling. Karissa was able to open the door more and walk in slowly without waking her up and Gracelyn never once flinched.
    Karissa looks at her and soon noticed bunch of used Kleenex's that were all over her bed. She gathers them all, throwing them into the nearest wastebasket and soon began to notice some sharp, shiny pieces of glass that were beaming from the reflection of the hallway light. Those pieces of glass were shown the colour of red which had looked like blood. Karissa decided to take a closer look at Gracelyn's left arm that was laying on her elbow and soon enough she had saw an unusually, yet familiar very thin perfect lines that were on Gracelyn's skin. Oh no!