Helen shifted slightly as she heard the door to her bedroom open quietly and the soft pad of a child walking barefooted on carpet. She pushed herself further up onto the pillows as her daughter climbed in silently and moved into her mother's gentle embrace.
'Mommy, I'm scared,' was the frightened whisper from her six year old daughter.
And it was all that was needed to bring forward soft tears in the woman's eyes, her daughter's fear.
Because no matter how many times she buried the truth, it would always come back at those three words whispered by her upset daughter.
Because, no matter how often she denied it, she was just as scared as her daughter.
But it wasn't because of monsters under the bed, or waking up alone in a dark room after a nightmare.
It was because she was going to live forever.
And her daughter wasn't.
Taking in a shaky breath, she knew that she should blink back the tears, not wanting for her daughter to see her mutual fear, and reassure her with soft words of comfort, stroke her until she fell asleep against her.
But tonight she couldn't find the strength within her to soothe the weeping child. So instead she lowered her head into the blonde hair and let the tears fall.
Helen drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. From her place under the soft cotton sheets of her bed, she could see through the glass doors of her Italian villa and stared at the stars that shone brightly. She sighed deeply at the tears that had begun running slowly down her face during her reminiscing.
One holiday every seven years. It was all she could stand. All the time it took to gather her strength again, her wavering resolve. It was because of Ashley that she could still do what she did and still stay as same as ever. Ashley was her source of power.
First in life, as her constant companion, her friend and her life.
Now in death as her fuel to continue on with what she did. Her focus, her determination.
So she would always be there, helping others, never asking for anything in return.
Because no one could give her what she wanted.
Because no one could bring back the dead.