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Creak. Sara’s rocking chair hit the flooring of her favorite spot on her front porch. The warm breeze blew her hair.  In a glimmer of sunlight, Sara noticed a red admiral butterfly gliding to her nearby flower garden. A smile of mixed emotions came across her lips.  The gorgeous splash of the winged insect brought her back to years ago when Emily was just barely four years old. 

“Emily, get your shoes on.”

“Where are we going, daddy?” she called from the hallway.

“Come and see.”

Anna opened her jeep’s trunk, “Can you help me get these cases of fruit juice inside? I will fetch the cooler from inside my house, and we can distribute some of the bottles into it to lessen the weight.”

“Sounds good,” Sara replied. She waited as Anna unlocked the door and went inside. A few minutes later, Anna reappeared with the cooler in her hands.

“Here we go,” Anna said as she put the cooler on the ground. She opened the case, and pulled a few bottles from the plastic. “Sara, are you okay?” Sara did not respond, but continued watching Anna work.

“Sara!”

“Hmm.”

“Mom, I put the soil into the pot. Now what?”

“Grab the potato and place it eye side down. Then you can pour more soil on top.”

“All finished,” Emily exclaimed.

“Now Emily, this will be your responsibility each day. You must water it early when needed, before it gets too hot during the day. You don’t want the vegetation scorched or lacking essential nutrients.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I created a fictional character named Sara Green and her daughter Emily. Follow Sara’s ponderings as they go through life together.

*Warning: May be a hard read for some.

Sara stopped in the hallway , the picture of Emily and Brad caught her eye. She sighed.  Eight years old now, and another birthday without her father there.  Sara had to put on her brave face , for Emily’s sake.  Sara picked up another picture on the same table.

Her mind raced, “I am sorry Mr. and Mrs. Green, there is no easy way to say this.  The scans and biopsy confirm it’s brain cancer. 

“No!” Sara had slid down from the doctor office chair to her knees sobbing.  “Please God, No!”  Brad prayed a quick silent prayer as he put his hand on Sara’s shoulder.

Sara went outside in the afternoon breeze, pausing to look at the flowers blowing in the wind.   She noticed certain groups of the flowers were bent. Carefully, Sara tried to stand it back up , but to no avail.  

“I wonder why certain groups of flowers are leaning over. These are the same type over here, and they are standing straight up.”

Sara proceeded to look it up on her phone and began reading, “Plants lean when they are weak and/ or trying to get sunlight.”

Later that evening, Emily and Sara enjoyed roasting hot dogs and s’mores over the fire. 

Emily looked up at the night sky. 

“Mommy! Mommy!”

Sara awoke startled. 

“Emily, what’s the matter?”

“Mommy! Mommy!” Emily cried. 

Sara flung the blankets off her bed, and ran down the hallway. She opened Emily’s bedroom door to find Emily hiding under the covers. Just then a loud boom of thunder echoed outside.