My name is Charlotte. Charlotte Kaiya. It's a nice name, isn't it? My mum picked it out for me. Dad didn't help, because he died in a car accident before I was born. Mum told me that he was a businessman that didn't have a lot of time to do things apart from his job. I am sad that he died, but I didn't know him very well. Or at all. Mum told me that a charlotte is a dessert. I'm not surprised that she called me Charlotte, because I do think she has a sweet tooth for cakes, especially cheesecake. But she couldn't call me cheesecake, that would just be silly. I love my mum, she's ever so gentle and kind - besides, she's the only person I really have left in the world. But recently, things haven't been going the way I thought they would. You see, exactly a year ago, my mother started feeling very weak and sickly. She looked like that too - pale and dark eyed. Soon enough we found out that she's very, very ill. With cancer, to be exact. I don't know what kind. I don't want to know. But I have hope - I will never give up on the thought that my mum will survive. It's not just a thought - it will be reality. She will survive. She will.
Today's the first anniversary of her finding out about her cancer. I know it's not a very good day for her - possibly even more depressing than usual. So I went to the cake store across the road after school, just like I do every day, and bought her an extra large cheesecake. I hope it will cheer her up, even just a little bit.
Everyday after school, I go to the cake store across the road from my school. It's called Bakery Emporium. What a perfectly fitting name! When I get there, one of the three receptionist ladies greet me. They all know me very well, after my countless visits to them to buy cakes for my mum. One is called Hinagiku - another is called Michiru. The last one is called Nagisa. They're all really nice, older ladies. Nagisa is a bit stingy, but, oh well. The cakes I buy vary, sometimes it's chocolate, sometimes strawberry, and on special occasions, my mum's favourite (but expensive) cheesecake.
After buying cake, I always walk down to the hospital, which is just a couple streets away. It's a very tense place - I can see why mum does not enjoy staying there.
So, do you guys think I should keep on writing this, or not? Please tell me!
Originally it was Charlotte's mother that was ill, as it was in the PMMM Japanese Guidebook.