Title: Dreams to Dreams
Author's note: It came to me all of a sudden and I just had to write it down. Must be watching too much movies :'p Oh and by the way, the Ash Redfern in this story has nothing whatsoever to do with L.J.'s Ash k...Oh, and the title comes from American Tail II, Tanya's song Dreams to dreams...lovely song that... :')
Prologue:
"Mama, why do people die? Why did Papa have to die?"
The seemingly innocent and unexpected question from four-year-old Asher's mouth stopped Lillian Redfern in her footsteps, her hand frozen in the path of reaching for the light switch.
For a moment, she didn't reply or moved. Couldn't
Emotions warred in her, dull pain from the loss of her husband, sorrow for her child who never had the chance to know her husband, her soulmate.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied and braced herself before slowly retracting her hand and turning back to face her daughter who was lying in her bed, covered in a coverlet Lillian had lovingly hand-stitched herself.
Asher had been named for her father, and true to it, she looked exactly like the man who had fathered her. Her light-blue eyes, with just a flicker of gold at the edges, were the mirror image of his, as was her slightly wavy hair, which was a deep gold colour streaked with light gold.
Everyday, just looking at her, Lillian was overwhelmed with deep emotions of love – and pain.
Sometimes, Asher simply reminded her too much of what she had lost.
Oh Ash, I missed you so. Lillian thought as a bittersweet memory of him rose up unbidden from the depths of her memory.
Slowly, she walked over to Asher's bedside and sat down.
"People are born on this earth to do something for others. And...they leave when they are done."
"What did Papa teach us?"
Lillian paused, taking a moment to think for the appropriate answer. Then, she smiled gently as it hit her.
"He taught us to love."
"Mother." The single word, spoken in barely a whisper, sounded unnaturally loud in the deserted cemetery. The early morning mists had rolled in, covering the grounds in a pale white fog, giving the whole place a haunted look.
The single visitor was dressed inconspicuously in black throughout, almost as though she was complementing the dark, gloomy atmosphere that filled the place. The only colour reflected was the contrasting white of the single stalk of a Lily of the Valley she held in one hand.
She didn't move, simply stood and contemplated the simple headstone she was standing in front of.
Lillian Redfern.
In a fluid movement, she knelt down and place the flower at the foot of the headstone.
Then she spoke, "You lied."
Words left unspoken, she stood and left.
To death you would still hold on to his name, even though he betrayed you and left me.