Silent invaded the room as Edith lay on her
dying bed. She has been sick for a while now and the doctor had confirmed that she had a few days left; that was three days ago. The doctor was there again but this time to prepare them for the worse.
"You should spend her moment with her," Dr. John said. "I will take my leave now."
Silence invaded the room after the doctor left with everyone lost in their separate thoughts. Edith could feel death looming around her and was ready to accept it but she feared for her two beautiful daughters, Rhea and Celia.
Although she was certain that Odin, her husband would take good care of them, she knew it wasn't going to be easy for him and also for their daughters, especially Rhea, who has always suffered from social anxiety and bullying at school.
Odin was also a very busy man who had always traveled due to the nature of his job and was rarely at home to spend some time with them; she was the one who spent most of the time with their daughters.
Edith feared Odin would need to move around with them, which is going to be very difficult not just for him but also for Celia and Rhea; Rhea would have to fit into every new school she goes to, and Celia would have to make new friends every time they move too.
Edith stared at her two beautiful daughters who stood afar off, afraid to accept the reality that she would be leaving them soon.
How would they survive? Edith wondered. How long would it take before they can move on, after her demise? How long would they have to mourn her?
Different thoughts ran through Edith's mind; tears running down her cheeks as she watched her daughters stare at her in sorrow.
"Rhea...? Celia...?" She cooed. "Come closer."
She needed to spend her last moments with them, assuring them that everything would be fine even after she left and they did not have to mourn her for so long.
Rhea moved closer to their Mother and sat beside her on the bed but Celia made no move; she was too heartbroken to move close. She stayed far away from her, not ready to accept the fact that her Mother would die soon.
Edith held Rhea's hands. "Rhea..., promise me that you will be a good girl." Tears streamed down her face. "Promise me, Rhea, that you won't get into trouble or let anyone bully you anymore."
Rhea sniffed slightly. There wasn't any way she could promise her mother not to be bullied by others. She also can't promise that she won't get into trouble; she has always been the subject of bullying. But she can assure her that with Celia around, she won't get bullied that much.
"You do not have to worry, Mother; Celia has always been of help. I won't get bullied."
Edith smiled. She was rest assured, knowing that Rhea had someone she could lay on.
"Mother, you won't die, right?" Rhea asked.
She was much more bothered about her Mother leaving her than she was with being bullied. It has also been a while since anyone tried to bully her after Celia stood up for her. She knelt beside her Mother and held her hands, which were getting cold, and she could tell life was leaving her body gradually.
"You won't die, right?" She asked again.
Edith smiled wearily. She wished she could tell Rhea she was going to stay, but she couldn't. She also could feel that her time was near.
She tapped Rhea's hand tenderly. "Rhea, you and Celia are going to be fine without me. Your father will make sure of that."
Tears dripped down Rhea's face. Her Mother was going to die; that was certain, but she couldn't accept that.
"Celia, come closer, baby." Edith gestured to Celia who was resistant to come close. "Celia, you ain't running away from Mummy. Are you?"
Celia slowly walked closer to her. She was afraid to stare at her face; a face she was going to miss for a long time.
"Mother," She called. Her eyes were swollen from crying so much. "Mother, you're not leaving us yet, right?"
Edith took her daughters' hands into hers. "Celia, I am not leaving you completely. You might not see me anymore but I will always be in your hearts. And that is enough for me. I will also be watching you from above. So you have to promise me that you will take good care of your sister as you have always done. You can't let her be bullied by anyone."
Edith tried to fight back the tears, threatening to fall again. She was going to miss them so much.
"I will, Mother. I promise I will. Just get well soon please." Celia cried.
Edith stared at her husband, who was standing by the edge of the bed, trying his best not to break down for the sake of his daughters.
"Odin, p-please..." Edith's heart skipped a beat and she had to suck in some air. "P-please, take good care of our daughters."
Odin couldn't utter a word, as silence invaded the room for the second time.
She stretched her hand to hold his. She smiled. "I will be up there watching over you and our daughters." she pointed up, looking up to the ceiling. "When you miss me, look up to the sky and I will be there smiling at you."
Edith's hand fell back to the bed, as she finally embraced the cold hands of death. Rhea stared at her Mother.
She isn't dead, right? She thought.
She held her Mother and pushed her slightly. She wasn't going to accept the fact that her Mother was dead.
"It's going to be fine," Odin consoled his daughters, but deep down, he wished he could break down and weep; but he had to be strong for his daughters.
To Rhea, 'It's going to be fine' were not the words she was hoping to hear. She can't lose her Mother and then acts as if nothing has happened.
"She can't be dead right?" She cried her eyes out, reality hitting her hard.
There was no one to console her; everyone had their wound to the nurse.
"Girls," Odin called. "We have to prepare for your Mother's funeral."
Those words hit Celia and Rhea hard and they knew that with their Mother gone, their lives were about to take a new turn.