Emma rested her head down on the pillow, taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes. It took a second for her to realize she was still wearing Megan's tiara. After taking it off and studying it in her hand for a moment, she laughed, wondering about the sound too. The pink, plastic sparkles flashed brightly in her eyes with a glare from the lamp. It was nice of the girl, even if it meant losing something that was important to her.
Soon, she shut off the lamp and closed her eyes, still tightly gripping the plastic object, until she slipped into unconsciousness.
***
He sat beside the water, close to the edge, waving his hand back and forth causing ripples that flowed throughout the entire area. He turned around quickly and eyed Emma carefully. When she caught his eye, he nodded towards another area outside. "I heard something," he said in his small voice.
Emma snapped her head up and looked in the direction he was referring to. "I'll be right back," she told him. "Stay here."
He was a good boy, of course he would. She had absolutely nothing to worry about.
Back in another area full of trees, Emma glanced around, wishing she could hear the same thing her nephew had heard. Still, she looked in all possible areas that something could be hiding, only to make him feel better. There was nothing, or at least nothing she could see. Maybe whatever it was had run away, if there was anything at all. He wouldn't make it up, unless he was hearing things, not unlike her as a child.
"There's nothing," she called back towards him. Unfortunately, she had never been able to hear the loud splash of him falling into the water. In the spot where he had been sitting was nothing. In the water where the ripples had been, there were much larger ones, and a few bubbles. "Christopher!" She called, jumping in after him.
How was it possible? She had only been gone for five minutes. The immediate question that came into her head was, how long had he been in the water? The poor boy couldn't swim yet. He was too young.
Emma's entire body shook as she followed in and looked through the water, pulling him out. His eyes were closed and he remained unmoving. She took his small body out to the car parked not too far from where they were. The only feelings she had were fear and utter guilt. This was her fault; she would never forget it.
***
When Emma lifted her head up once again, the tiara was facing her, as was a bright light from the sun. It seemed like such a short time to be asleep, but she didn't know how long until she began dreaming.
Before too long, she noticed her eyes watering. In her unconscious state, she was still aware of every feeling inside of her- the sadness for losing someone she loved so much.
No matter what anyone ever said, it would always be her fault. To that day, she wanted to hit herself, change everything, and maybe then she wouldn't feel so awful. After talking about it, the memories returned and all she could picture was pulling her nephew's lifeless body out of the water, a terrible image that made her body feel numb, and made her heart break.
The entire way to work, she could still feel the depression and longing, but would always have to live with it. Seeing people she knew helped, such as when Peter said hello and smiled at the tiara in her hands.
First thing when she got to her desk, Emma put it facing outwards to everyone who passed by, smiling at it. At least that young girl, Megan, got a second chance at life, even if Christopher didn't.
"It looks nice," Peter said, walking by.
Emma simply nodded, half smiling when looking at it once more. Right next to the tiara, she placed the picture of the boy, the one who didn't get the second chance, but the one she would never forget.
