Chapter Thirty-Four; Memories
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"Mama, I'm old too now!" I protested, my hands on my hips, my chin raises as I squinted my eyes up at her.
She stood outside our house, a basket in her hands as she insisted I waited inside as she went searching for harvestable.
"No, darling. It's too dangerous." She was firm but gentle. Her eyes indicating me to go inside, but I remained where I stood, I was stubborn.
"I wanna help!" I insisted, brushing my curly red hair out of my face as the wind blew.
"You don't know what plants to pick, there are dangerous ones, and I don't want you to get sick. It's for your own good." With that, she urged me inside with a gentle push.
"No! I am big now, mama! I wanna help!"
She let out a sigh, glancing towards the sun as it slowly began its descent.
"Alright, but you have to stay by my side the entire time. And don't touch anything I don't tell you to touch. Understand, little lady?" She had a slight giggle to her voice as she mimicked my stance, she could never truly be firm with me. My spirit as wild as hers was, and in half the form.
I let out a big smile, racing towards her now outstretched hand.
"Yes, mama. Let's go!" I shouted in glee as I began to tug her forward in a mad dash.
"Slow down!"
~
A loud 'thump!' echoed throughout of small cottage. I shrieked in shock, jumping up.
"It's okay! I'm sorry, my hands were shaky." She chuckled, before clearing her throat.
I slowly walked over, peering around the table to see a bucket of water tipped over on the floor.
"Mama, there is water everywhere!"
"I know, darling. Help me clean it up?"
~
"I need some quiet time, how about you go place in your room?" She said, laying down as she rubbed her temples.
"But, I wanna play with you, mama." I insisted, holding out my handcrafted dolly.
"Mama isn't feeling so good right now, we can play later."
I grumbled, before nodding my head. Marching out of her room while talking to myself.
"She'll play later, okay?" I whispered, gazing down at my dolly.
~
"Mama," I began, my attention taken away from the clothes I was attempting to fold, "Why you so sleepy?" I asked, my bottom lip pouting as I glanced up at her.
She let out a slow smile, her weak eyes blinking towards her from her resting position.
"I don't know, baby. I must have the c-cold." She raised her weak hand to brush the dust off her now pale skin.
"I'll make you soup, mama!" I rushed out, quickly jumping from my seated position to race towards the kitchen but was stopped when she grabbed my hand.
"Darling, I need to talk to you." She coughed, her hand resting tightly on her stomach.
"But, mama-"
"Listen to me, I love you with all my heart. And y-you're going to be so big and strong. You're going to rule the w-world one day, run your own destiny.
"Just know, that I b-believe in you, even when you don't believe in yourself. Even when you can't see me, I will always be there, in your h-heart." She whispered, her voice shaky as she held back the tears.
"Mama, I don't understand." My eyes started to fill up with tears, "You're leaving me?" I cried.
"No, darling. I will n-never leave you. Never. I will always be right by your s-side, even when you can't see me."
I slowly nodded, wiping my tears away before a smile spread across my face.
"Like hide and seek?"
"Exactly, just like hide and seek."
~
I sat playing on the floor, my dolly in my hand and a cup in the other.
"Would you like some tea, Mrs Tibbits?" I asked in a posh voice before letting out a giggle.
I heard a cough, turning around to see that mama was out of bed, struggling to walk.
"What are you doing, mama? You don't look so good." I quipped, scrunching my brows.
"I j-just needed some w-water." She could hardly talk, her breathing heavy as she stumbled forward, her hands clutching walls as her legs shook beneath her. Her a deathly pale, but her cheeks bright red.
My eyes widened in shock, quickly dropping the cup and the dolly before jumping up, racing towards her to grab her hand.
"Mama, go back to bed!"
"It's o-okay. I can get water." I didn't know how to help, my little hands clutching one of her hands as I attempting to help her to the kitchen.
"Mama, sit down, please." I tried sounding firm, but my voice shook; my shoes squeaking as I walked.
"I-I'm fine-" I let out a gasp of shock as she stumbled forward, her hands barely breaking her fall as she crashed towards the ground, her knees breaking her fall but soon slipped out from under her.
"Mama!" I shouted, falling to my knees to try and support her, but she couldn't get up.
She let out a wheezed cough, her chest quickly rising and falling as she blinked away the tears.
"I-I'm o-okay." She struggled to speak the words, her voice barely a whisper, her hands shaking.
I sat on the cold wooden floor, mama's head in my lap and I hurriedly wiped my tears away.
"It's okay, mama. You'll get better." I promised as my small hands held her head.
"I-I think-" She broke into rough coughing, her face turning red from the strain. "It is t-time, darling." She whispered, "I love you, l-little g-grasshopper." I let out a loud sob, my hands gently rubbing her cheeks.
"Please don't leave me, mama. This is our place, our forgotten grotto. We made it just for us, forever, remember?" I whispered, my little voice cracking. She just let out a deep sigh, her eyes resting on the fireplace that crackled in the distance.
"Mama?" I asked, tapping her check. "Mama you can't fall asleep." She didn't respond, her eyes going glassy. "Please mama," I begged, thick droplets hitting her check as my thumb quickly wiped them away.
"Don't leave me, mama" It was too late. I could feel her body starting to dissolve into thin particles, her stony, beautiful face disappearing from my grasp as I tried holding on.
"Take me with you, mama! Please..." She was gone. My lap was empty.
"Mama!"
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