All my life, my heart has yearned for a thing I cannot name. -Andre Breton
The one thing I remember perfectly about this woman, the woman who changed my vies on everything I knew and had been taught, was her scent. A strange yet pleasant mixture of honey and peppermint always seemed to cling on to her as if it was her second skin. Yet every so often the image of two mahogany eyes would come into my mind and I could just imagine my name being whispered through her lips, almost as if she was lulling a child to sleep. This woman, with simple features that would cast her as ordinary by society, never once looked anymore than beautiful in my eyes.
One of the qualities I had found utmost appealing about her was something I could never forget for as long as I shall live. Her voice, which seemed to still ring in my ears every now and then, was one of her attributes I would forever love. Whenever morning had caught up with me and I, being up all night working and such, would notice her body appear by the door way with such an understanding smile as if she shared the burden of owning a multi-million company I held within me. She would make her way towards me and sit on the leather arm of my chair and with such gentleness that only a woman could possess, her right arm would wrap around my neck. With her head placed on top of mine she would begin, "Late at night when all the world is sleeping."
I would catch myself wondering every so often about what had made whatever superior power up above bring this woman into my life. It certainly wasn't because of my attitude which I had acquired throughout my years in the mansion when my adopted father was still alive nor could it have been because of my way around people yet she stuck with me through everything, through thick and thin, through the good and the bad.
"I'd stay up and think of you."Taking her hand into mine I raised it to my lips and placed small pecks that would not technically be kisses but more of a sign of affection. "What is wrong Seto? Hmm?" I remembered the way she had leaned forward and had placed a warm caress on my temple, the way of how her smooth lips traced down to the top of my ear. "Seto, are you ok? Seto, Seto."
"HEY SETO!" My eyebrows twitched at the masculine voice. "Big brother! Wake up!" Of course, Mokuba, who else would it be? Not wanting another bellow near my ear I lifted my aching body up from the desk and opening a single eye just a bit I had quickly closed it. Was there always so much light in the office? My throat vibrated as I groaned from the sudden realization of it. Of course it hadn't been real, it was to perfect and yet it felt so surreal, as if her very presence was actually with me. "Why did you wake me up Mokuba? Is there something wrong?"
God, my voice never sounded so hoarse before and I suddenly wondered how long I had fallen asleep for. "Were you thinking about Karoline again?" My younger brother said in a cheerless voice that was rarely heard but the name brought me to open my eyes in such a quick motion that the early sun rays blinded me as soon as I had done it. I stood up from my chair, uneasy at first, but my legs held after a few seconds. Lifting a hand up to my face, I tried to rub away the sleep but found something that was out of the ordinary. Water. Why was there water on my face?
"I came in here to check up on you but I saw that you were sleeping and I was about to leave but... I saw you were crying so I woke you up." The tip of his foot rubbed against the carpet and for some reason he seemed to be embarrassed about something. "So, were you?" Mokuba whispered, all the while keeping his eyes on the carpet almost as if it held something interesting there. "Stop Mokuba. What was it that you were going to ask me?" Collecting myself I gathered up the slim laptop and the manila folders into the silver suitcase.
"You know, it's ok if you do. I still do." Mumbling his large eyes seemed to brim with unshed tears that threatened to fall. He had formed a deep bond with her back when he was younger but even now as I looked at the sixteen year old who seemed to hold all his emotions back just at the thought of her, tore something in me. "I was remembering about when you had first introduced me to her as your business associate back when I was, what? Twelve?" Mokuba let out a soft laughter probably going back to that memory, something that both of us seemed to be doing lately. Being much younger, around seventeen at that time, I had brought her to the mansion and when Mokuba had come to greet me he had stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed me helping a woman out of the limo.
Mokuba looked up at us, confusion evident on his face. "Hey big brother welcome home." I placed my hand on the top of his head and smiled down at him. Such innocence that existed behind a child's eyes always seemed to surprise me even though my little brother was anything BUT innocent, being the mischievous little child that he was, but nevertheless with him being so young he might as well have been. "Hello Mokuba, have you finished your homework?" He nodded but moved his line of vision to behind me. "Who's that?" Turning just a bit I noticed that she wasn't looking at me instead her total attention was on the small child who clung to pants.
"Mokuba, this is Karoline Nakamura whose father will now be investing his money into KaibaCorp." I explained to him as simple as I could. Mokuba was a smart child so he knew how to behave around business people. "Hello, nice to meet you." He bowed to show his respect for someone elder than him but she just smiled and bowed back. "The pleasure is mine Mokuba." Leading the two inside I spoke quietly to Mokuba about how had his day had gone and if there was anything he needed help school wise. "Ms. Nakamura, if you will follow me, we will now head to my study to talk about future work." I said smoothly so that Mokuba would take the hint and go to his room. He did just that and with a wave of goodbye he ran up the stairs and I looked at his retreating form until I couldn't see him anymore. "You are very lucky Seto, to have such a cute little brother."
She giggled behind me as I led her up the stairs and to the left of the hallway. Holding the door open for her she walked in and stared in awe at the large library I called my study. "I am very fortunate indeed. Without him, I don't know where I would be today." Sitting on the couch I lifted my arm and rested it on the back of it, watching the woman in question. Karoline Nakamura, a fully fledged French woman who, despite the Japanese last name, was not Japanese at all. According to her records her biological parents had placed her in an orphanage in her hometown and had moved away the next day. However just over a few months in being in the orphanage her luck had turned when Tomoyuki Nakamura had been in Paris for his fashion line and also his charity towards orphans. In an interview he had once said, "I was visiting an orphanage that needed a new roof and when this little girl came up to me with these large, beautiful brown eyes and had bowed down to me and had said 'Arigatou' It had become love at first sight."
She was an orphan, like me. She had been adopted by a wealthy business man and was practically running her adopted father's corporation that was being handed down to her. "Oh that reminds me, would you like to come to a show of mine?" She had stopped studying the library and had turned towards me, her hands interlocked with each other. Not only did she have a very wealthy business to fall back on, she had a singing career on the side as well. "I would very much like if you and your little brother would be my honored guests." My eyebrow lifted at her request. I had never really heard her sing before and plus, I was not one that liked to be around people if it didn't mean business. "Ms. Nakamura, I hope you understand, I am a busy man and have an organization to attend to." Her smile faltered for a moment but it had lasted a mere second before she was smiling like before.
"I understand Mr. Kaiba." Now that had caught my attention. I didn't mind much if she had used my first name; we had met several times in the past and knew each other quite well, yet being called like that almost felt strange just to hear it coming from her. 'I must have hurt her feelings' I thought. "Well shall we get down to business?" She commented and sat down next to me.
"I also remember the first time I heard her sing." I had called my secretary and had told her I wasn't coming in today since Mokuba had sucked me into the conversation. We now sat outside near the pool in our backyard, the sun leashed its blazing fury on us but I didn't mind, a little bit of sun never killed anyone. "I remember also. I couldn't get you to quiet down after that." Mokuba punched my arm, not to softly might I add, and replied, "Hey, she had an amazing voice, what was I supposed to do?" He stuck out his tongue at me but smiled nonetheless. "A voice that only an angel could possess, that's what I would think every time I heard her." I laid back on the chair, thinking back on the first show I had gone, the second she had opened her mouth and the lyrics had begun pouring out, I had felt as if I was in a trance and it was one I did not want to come out off.
An angel indeed except this angel had caught my interest way to quick and little by little our meetings consisted less and less of our company's and more on our own personal likes or on issues we sought fit to discuss. Meetings weren't held in the KaibaCorp meeting rooms but were met in restaurants and cafes, she would visit the Kaiba mansion and bring small presents for Mokuba, many of which he still had, and played with him until his bedtime had come. Mokuba would always ask if she could sing one song and she would sing him to sleep until he was deep in slumber than sneak down to the living room where she would join me until early in the morning. It was one of those long nights where our future together had begun.
She laughed but was having trouble in keeping it down as to not wake Mokuba up. "Oh Seto, you shouldn't say things like that! It will come back at you!" Her giggles had me smiling just a bit, thinking about how easy it was to make her laugh. "Well, I really do think it's true. She was just lucky I didn't fire her on the spot." I flipped the page of the book that laid on my lap, read a line or two, and looked back her. "What is it?" I questioned when I noticed her expression. It was somewhat hazy, almost in a dreamy like state, yet against the light of the crackling fire her eyes seemed to burn with something deep inside. "I hope you don't find this as rude, Seto, but have you ever had a girlfriend?" Karoline whispered, looking like a child who was begging to know a secret. I was definitely in shock from the sudden question I had been asked, very few and I do stress the word few, were close to me and knew of my personal life but anyone outside that small circle didn't ask about it much less look at me in the eye.
"I have not. Having one would just be troublesome, seeing that I hardly have time during the day and come late at night from work. Not many woman like a man who they could hardly see." I flipped to the other page, trying to appear nonchalant about this certain topic which I admit I did not feel comfortable with. Having a significant other would just add more stress to my overworked brain and that was certainly something I did not need. Being in the presence of big shot company owners most of my life I was quick in responding and usually had a quick reply for just about anything... anything except what she had asked for next. "Would it be alright if I kissed you?" Her tone was nothing above a whisper, her eyes gleamed just as before and for the third time in my life I was speechless. I looked straight into her eyes, trying to figure out what had brought this upon her and I suddenly thought, 'Had it always been this hot in here?' Though what had surprised me the most was when I found myself nodding.
Her body posture had changed completely and a sheer look of happiness had ran across her face. She moved closer to the point that her thigh rubbed against mine and her breath was hitting my neck and just having someone so close felt foreign and strange to me. Her left hand lifted to my eye level slowly and cupped my cheek gently, her pinkie finger grazed below my ear which sent this strange flicker down my spine. It had been too quick for me to even realize that she was leaning towards me and then just like that, soft lips were placed right on my own. With the sudden realization of it I felt my shoulders become stiff and my lip had ACTUALLY quivered! Of all the things!
I felt her smile against the kiss as she leaned forward and placed her hands on the arm of the black sofa behind me allowing her to fully support her weight. "You are so funny Seto." She laughed, probably at the irked expression my face had pulled into. "I do not find that to be the least bit funny." Of course, she would laugh once again but this time she leaned her forehead on top of mine which left me with a perfect view of her eyes. Such a beautiful brown, not to dark but not light enough to be called hazel, they were definitely an interesting shade. "Would you like another one? Or is that enough for you today?" I glared at that. Was she insulting me? My hands found their way around her neck and pulling her in for another kiss this time I used the little knowledge I had about it.
"? Sir?" I opened my eyes, pulling myself away from the memory I had stored deep in my mind until now. "What is it Martha?" The middle aged woman's features looked concerned as she held in her hands a warm cup of coffee. "I am just here to remind you of the meeting you have in a few minutes with the Katsu Company's CEO." I slowly stood from my chair and fixed my tie, a small headache already forming on my left temple. "Mokuba said that he will be heading straight home and will wait for you. He also said that he 'bought ice cream so that you and him could chillax' or so he says." Martha, the woman who has worked with me for the last six years and somehow managed to stay sane, wore a motherly smile when she mentioned Mokuba.
"Leave it to that brother of mine to invent his own words." Shaking my head at the silly thought that came to my head I placed my hand on the door knob and twisted it open. What I saw inside was definitely not the CEO I was waiting for. "Papa!" A small body clung on my white pant suit and looking down at the blonde curly hair and blue eyes, they looked up at me with adoration and nothing else, however the word 'surprise' didn't nearly explain what I felt right now. "Marie, what are you doing here?" I picked up the child and was met with the smiling face of my brother and another woman whom, for some reason, did not surprise me as much as she should have. "Hey Kai, it's been a while huh?" Green eyes seemed to smile back and her grin was the same as always.
"Jakylin, you did not warn me you were coming." I almost seemed to growl towards the woman. Small, warm hands placed themselves on both my cheeks and steered me away from the green eyes and I was now face to face to face with shimmering blue orbs. "Oh papa, do not be mad. I was the one who asked Tante to bring me here. I miss you too much." My walls crumbled whenever it came to the only woman who now mattered to me in my life even if she was just five years old. "Is that why you are here? Marie, I thought we spoke about this. I have too much work to handle and cannot have you with me." Even as I said the words I knew they weren't true. "I know, Tante told me that papa is a very busy man and he does it all for me." Her rosy lips pouted and it almost looked as if her eyes seemed to enlarge themselves somehow. "But I was hoping that I could stay for a while with papa! Just a little bit."
Mokuba and Jakylin taunted me as they held hands and cooed towards me, trying to make me agree but as soon as I looked down to the child in my arms I had lost the battle I held within my mind. "Martha, move my meetings that are for today and tomorrow for next Monday." Cheering was heard as soon as I said that and I couldn't help but smile as I shook my head. I had one strange family.
"It's almost been a year." Jakylin murmured softly as a loud squeal rang through the air. Mokuba laughed loudly and captured the small girl easily as she wadded in the water trying to escape her captor. Spring was leaving and summer was right at the door and the scalding temperature that fell upon the mansion was making me sweat all the fluids I had downed in the last hour or so. "It still feels like she's going to appear any moment with a tray of lemonade, smiling as if there was nothing wrong with her." She rubbed her face as if it the memory was hurting her and smiled towards the little girl who was now situated on top of Mokuba's shoulder as he roared as if he was some type of monster.
I, on the other hand, glared down at the clear blue water that waved around with all the movement the two caused. "There was nothing wrong with her." I said hotly. "This is your sister you're talking about you know." Jakylin sighed and laid her head on her palm, her eyes never leaving the water. "Can you still remember when she told you?" I scoffed at that without even thinking about it. "I rather not but yes I still do."
I stared up at the high ceiling of my room as I lay on my back. The soft humming was making me tired but I couldn't sleep, not with her here. Her fingers ran through my hair in a soft, gentle motion that didn't seem to help my weary mind yet I enjoyed these moments where I actually had time to relax. "Will you be coming with me tomorrow?" I mumbled, closing my eyes for a moment as I felt her lips on my forehead. "I cannot." Opening them I stared straight into her eyes, confused on why she couldn't. I had lost the count on the many times she came with me to KaibaCorp and helped me with anything whether it was a cup of coffee I needed or her opinion on another corporation.
Normally I wouldn't let anyone other than Mokuba into my office so willingly but after two years and some months of being together I had formed a relationship with this woman and it had definitely not been easy letting her into my life. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow but I will be back in the afternoon." She said gently and placed another kiss on my nose. "Doctor's?" Now that I thought about it she had looked a bit pale the last few days but other than that I hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary about her. Turning towards her my blood suddenly felt cold once I saw the pained smile she wore. "There is something you're not telling me." I demanded rather harshly but something told me it was important, that this was not a good thing.
"Seto… I'm sick." My eyebrow rose at that. "How come you didn't tell me this? I could have brought the company doctor to do a check up on yo-" She lifted a hand and placed her index finger on my lips, stopping me before I could finish. Shaking her head no she sighed heavily, almost as if all of this pained her. "No Seto, I do not have just some common cold… I have Leukemia."
One heartbeat, two heartbeats, three, four, five. So quiet, it was too quiet and it was suffocating me. Leukemia? "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She blinked, almost as if shocked, though her features stayed calm. I closed my fists in order to stay calm but I couldn't close my eyes now because if I did all I could see was an image of her on a hospital bed, those mahogany eyes not once moving. "I didn't want to sadden you Seto and it would have been just something else to worry you about and I just could-" I silenced her just as she did to me but this time I glared at her so hard my eyes seemed to almost scream in pain. "SomethingELSEto worry about? Karoline, this is your health!"
She flinched but I held her chin in place. "Seto, please, do not scream. I just put Mokuba to bed." My eyes flickered to the wall on the right but only for a second before they were on her again. "How long have you had it?" I asked, too mentally exhausted to raise my voice again, and noticed her smaller fingers wrapping themselves around my hand. "I was diagnosed with it about four years ago. It started out as acute leukemia but the chemotherapy did little to it and it does little to it even now. There are days I feel healthy, some I do not." She continued to explain how she was trying chemo again but it was tiring and wearing her body down. Her doctor said it had somewhat lengthened her lifespan but she would have to be careful on not to tire her body even more than it already was.
"I only ask you one favor Seto and that is to not treat me any different." Looking at her now I noticed she wore a small smile yet the space between her eyebrows was furrowed and all of it just made her look like she was in pain. "Alright." I fell on my side of the bed and drew her near me, pressing her body against mine and placed the white cover over us. She had resumed as before with her hand through my hair yet this time she had closed any space that was between us and ran her hand down my neck. "Karoline?" She hummed and kissed the edge of my mouth when I said, "Marry me."
"Papa, are you going to leave?" The sleepy voice mumbled and I couldn't help but smile. Nothing escaped Marie, always had her ears open for the slightest noise. "No, I will be right back. Go back to sleep Marie." She plopped down on the mattress just as I said that and her breathing slowed in just a few seconds. Playing all day with Mokuba had tired her out which was a surprise because she always seemed to be filled with energy. I moved over to the chair that was just a few feet away from my bed and sat down on it and studied the little girl. It still amazed me till this day how much she looked like Karoline even if there was no blood relation. This young girl who called me 'papa' was definitely something and she was the first and last thing Karoline had done behind my back.
Of course once Karoline had told me what she had done I had been furious… that is until I had met the toddler for the first time.
"Now Seto, relax." No matter how soothing her voice sounded all I saw was red. "Why did you do this? We are married Karoline! We make decisions together! What gave you the idea of adopting a child? " She placed her hands on my chest and smoothed down my business suit and always the calm one she said, "My love, please do understand, I saw this child wandering the streets and I just could not find it in my heart to place her in an orphanage. You and I both know how that is on someone so young." She looked up at me with sad eyes, her arms around my chest. "But Karoline, a child? We are not able to tend to one now! I spend most of the time at KaibaCorp now that the new Battle City is about to start and your busy attending your fashion line."
I tried to reason with her but once her mind was set on something, there was nothing that would change her mind. "Oh but Seto I have always wanted a child and you know very well I cannot bare one because of the chemo. So why not this one? It's almost as this was set up by fate!" Her lips turned into a smile of pure happiness though the subject at hand didn't give me a reason to smile. It was true, even though I could not wrap my head around it yet, she had mentioned having children one day and how she would love to be a mother that is until she had a miscarriage. Her doctor had told her she had become infertile due to the chemotherapy and didn't recommend on trying again because it could seriously damage her mentally. "Darling, please, just meet her and judge her yourself. She is a splendid little girl and she reminds me of myself when I was her age."
Tugging me out of the room we walked down the stairs and moved out to the courtyard where sounds of giggling were heard. "Marie! Come here so you can meet Seto." The giggling abruptly stopped and a blonde head popped out of one of the bushes. I was certainly surprised when a little girl galloped her way towards us with a large grin on her face. "Bonjour Papa!" Both my eyebrows lifted at that. The child had just called me father and didn't seem at all confused about it. I sighed and rubbed my forehead and quietly whispered to Karoline, "Every time I let you go somewhere by yourself you come back with something new or in this case someone." My wife giggled and hugged my chest once again, her silk robe rubbed against my hand that rested on the small of her back. "Is she not the cutest thing though? She speaks only French and just a bit of English but I will work with her on that." Releasing me she picked the child up who squealed with happiness and clung to her new 'mothers' neck.
"Marie this is Seto, tell him how old you are." Karoline encouraged the little blonde girl but I somehow knew the small child did not need any encouraging. She held up four little fingers and said proudly in a heavy French accent, "I am four years old" I blinked at the girl who stared back with shining blue eyes that sparkled with innocence. I had forgotten what it was to have a small child in my presence, the energy they seem to radiate. "Monsieur, would it be alright if I called you Papa?" She asked lightly, her tone somewhere the middle of confidence and shyness, but what I liked most was that she looked at me straight in the eye when she had said it. Noticing the little blonde was waiting on an answer I said, "Do as you wish." Karoline hugged her little body and placed her down while telling her something in French. The child nodded and ran off somewhere until I couldn't see her anymore.
"Do you like her?" Karoline had her arms folded over her chest and wore a knowing grin. No matter how much I tried to keep a collected face I felt the corners of my mouth lift as I wrapped my arms around her frail body. "She seems intelligent and she definitely has your attitude…" I mumbled the last part but it had only made her laugh. "And..." She encouraged on, hopefulness on every inch of her body. "Do I have to sign any papers?" She was quiet for a mere second until she yelled and flung herself on me, dropping us down to the ground. "Thank you Seto! Thank you so much!" I chuckled at how childish she seemed right now and as I was about to tell her something she began coughing, light at first but it became a fit causing her body to take a fetal form over my chest while her hand hovered on top of her mouth.
I shook her trying to snap her out of it but the coughing continued. "Karoline!" She waved her free hand as it had suddenly stopped as if it had never begun. "Are you alright now?" I questioned when I noticed her face returning to its normal color. "I am fine, nothing but a little co-" Her words turned silent just as her vision went black.
After that her health had gone downhill from there. The doctor had said it would have been best for her to be bedridden but she said that she was too young for that and for months yet she appeared to be fine. During the mornings Marie and her would travel around the mansion and go with Roland to pick Mokuba up from school. Then the three would walk into KaibaCorp and would stay in the office until around seven where I would bid them goodbye as they headed back home. Yet the times she would come into my study and lay on the couch, her breathing shallow and her pale skin seemed to cling on to her body, I still believed she was the most beautiful woman I had ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Marie didn't understand at that time why her mother wouldn't be able to stand one day or why she slept so much but every night Marie would crawl on our bed and hear Karoline faintly sing to her, "And I'd wish on a star, That somewhere you are thinking of me too, Cuz I'm dreaming of you tonight, Till tomorrow, I'll be holding you tight, And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be, Then here in my room, Dreaming about you and me."I had taken a whole month off which Mokuba had taken over in KaibaCorp while I stayed at the hospital, constantly hearing the beeps of her heart monitor or the soft murmuring of doctors. She was glad when we celebrated Marie's birthday there with her as the two blew out the candles and wiped each other with frosting which I remember clearly scolding both of them about it but they had just laughed and had managed to wipe some on me too.
Later on that night I sat next to her and rubbed my thumb over her hand and listened to her sing her favorite song, "Wonder if you even see me, And I wonder if you know I'm there, If you looked in my eyes, Would you see what's inside? Would you even care?" I kissed her hand and laid my head on her stomach feeling the ascending and descending of her breathing, the beeping of the monitor went on a steady pace and the smell of roses hung in the air from the many vases I had bought. That night she lifted her hand from mine and ran it through my hair and down my neck many times, the conversation we held was one I would never forget.
"Seto, darling," I turned my head towards her, my eyes wide awake when I heard her voice. Her hands moved through my hair as she had done many times in the past and even now when she didn't have much strength she continued on as if she had all the strength in the world. "You look like Marie when she's lost her favorite toy." Her laugh was low but it made me smile at the sound of it. "Are you hungry?" I asked her as I ran my finger over her palm and placed a kiss on one of her fingers.
"No, I'm still full from that cake." She licked her lips remembering the chocolate frosting, she had given most of her slice to Marie who was sharing a plate with her while I just stared at the two mentally ingraining the scene even though Mokuba had not stopped taking pictures since he had arrived in the room. "If you liked it so much I will bring you some more tomorrow." My words became silent once I saw the smile disappear from her lips and she stared at the ceiling now, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Darling, will you promise me something?" Slowly pulling herself up she sat now, our gazes directly on each other. "Anything." Her fingers played with Marie's baby blue blanket which the child had left here, insisting it would make her mother feel better, and said, "Promise me that you will continue living your life, that you will love someone who will take care of you and loves you for who you are, that you will continue to be happy." I shook my head as she spoke, gripping her hand tightly in mine and stared at them. I had always found it funny how small her hands were compared to mine, they literally disappeared in mine when I held it.
"Stop talking as if you are going to die, you're not." I practically spat out the words. "Seto, please be serious about this." I couldn't help the scoff that escaped my lips before I had even thought of it. Someone was actually telling me to be serious, when was I not? Warm hands pressed themselves against my cheeks and brought my head up, making me stare into mahogany eyes that seemed to plead. "I love you Seto." She kissed me lightly and I couldn't help but wrap my arms around her waist and tighten my grip on her almost as if to hold her there. I moved at her pace, afraid that if I made a sudden movement she would have broke right there in front of me.
Her lips had uttered those four words over and over even when her arms had circled around my neck in a tight hug. "Just please, please promise me that you'll continue life as it should be. Do not mourn, do not feel sad. I certainly don't because it was thanks to you that I got to live the life I have always wanted and what's best is we have a beautiful daughter and a handsome little brother." Karoline laughed and placed her head on my right shoulder. "Promise me." Without my knowing I rubbed her back, her spine curling against her skin and caressed my hand.
The amount of weight she had lost in the last few months was astonishing, most of her old clothes had been donated to charity while the new ones had been given to her by her sister who was smaller than her so they fitted her perfectly. I nodded and pressed my face onto her neck inhaling that familiar scent that could be described as her.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
I just wanna hold you close
But so far, all I have are dreams of you
So, I wait for the day and the courage to say
How much I love you(Yes, I do)
The next morning while I had been sleeping, the flat line of the heart monitor had awoken me and after the doctors and nurses rushed in trying to bring her back, there wasn't much I remembered after that. One thing that I remembered was how some of the nurses held me back as I tried to rush towards the bed because I knew she couldn't have really died, not after everything we had been through. I yelled out her name, hoping that she would have opened her eyes and smiled towards me but no, last night had been the last time I had seen them.
At 6:25 in the morning the doctor pronounced her dead and I can faintly remember feeling her now ice cold hands that I had held in my own few hours ago, lay limply in mine. That day I cried but not much. I was going to stick true to my promise and not mourn even when the two men from the Morgue took her body for cremation, something she had placed in her will long before all of this had even started, her company and everything she owned went to me and I would transfer the Nakamura company over to Marie when she reaches age.
Marie and Mokuba had burst into tears when I had told them what had happened and for the next few months the two would appear in my bed and sleep the night. I had talked with Jackylin, Karoline's younger sister, and we thought it would have been best if she took Marie for the meantime but the little girl had just stayed away for three months before she had returned and having her back I couldn't bear the thought of having her leave.
"Mokuba, have you seen Marie?" I asked my younger brother as I walked into the kitchen. He sat on the large table with a sandwich in one hand and a cell phone in the other. "Isn't she in her room? She ate then left saying not to bother her." Mokuba laughed and placed the cell down. Already sixteen years old he was reaching up to my shoulders, something he took great pride in. "Well I'm about to leave. Do you need something when I come back?" He shook his head, his wild black hair now longer than ever shook with his movement. I nodded and headed out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
Marie's room was next to mine, Mokuba's on the left while her's on the right, so the journey had not been long. I could hear the faint melody of a song I knew to well coming from the inside of her room and as I slightly opened the door the sight that I was met with pulled at my heart.
Her blonde curls bounced as she danced around, a blue blanket was pressed to her chest in a hug and her eyes were closed but she seemed to know her way around the large room as she childishly 'waltzed' even though she was not looking to where she went. Karoline's voice vibrated against the walls from the CD player on her bed yet the five-year-old's lips moved with the words, knowing each and every melody and beat by heart.
I'll be dreaming of you tonight
Till tomorrow, I'll be holding you tight
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Then here in my room,
Dreaming about you and me Ahhh...I can't stop dreaming of you
Ahhh...I can't stop dreamin Late at night when all the world is sleeping
I'd stay up and think of you
And I still can't believe that you came up to me
And said, "I love you; I love you too" Now I'm dreaming with you tonight
Till tomorrow, and for all of my life
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Then here in my room,
Dreaming with you endlessly...