"Hello, I hope everyone have a great day this afternoon. I am excited and I hope everyone too. Without further delay. Let's begin our school concert!"The host excitedly announced as the concert hall was packed with parents attendees that afternoon.
Maddie looked around the venue for her parents as they prepare at the backstage for their class presentation. She kept looking at everyone's faces hoping to recognize just one of them but sadly she can't find them. It made her sad somehow as she dejectedly walked towards to her classmates.
Chloe was outside in the school concert hall hiding.
She somehow waited for everyone to settle inside, and let the program start, before she silently walked inside. She don't want to create a commotion of the important day of Maddie if someone recognize her.
She somehow notice that it stopped raining that afternoon when she leave from home.
Beca was in the storage room when suddenly the fire alarm blast as smoke slowly visible in the air as it slowly cover the office area. She quickly flee the area but she heard a cry inside the washroom area as she passed by. She saw Alice in the corner area slumped in the floor crying hysterically.
Alice was having a panic attack when a traumatic childhood memory washed over her. She almost died in a fire. She was luckily saved by her brother but not their parents as they burned together with their house.
Beca quickly approached Alice when she suddenly lost consciousness. She caught her in time before she hit the floor as the smoke getting more thicker every seconds. She have no choice but to carry her outside as her panic rushed over her more. It's quiet a walked since they are currently in the second floor of the building.
They safely made it outside.
Alice was immediately attended by the EMT.
So did to Beca as she collapsed in front of the ambulance.
Different musical number was presented in the concert from various students from higher grade. It ranged from musical drama to instrumental presentation. The audience was entertained well as the lower grade was due next
It's was Maddie's class turned as they slowly walked in line as they went up the stage.
The program host made the introduction as their teacher sit in front of the piano.
The music intro echo in the hall as the teacher start to play the moment the host finished her introduction. Maddie and the entire class started to sing as they began their number.
I believe in my dream
Through it may seem hard
I close my eyes
And draw out that day
Through it may seem hard
Every children was smiling as they sing watching the audience as they listened to their song but it was opposite of Maddie's face. The young redhead was somehow singing sadly as she was in lost with her own thoughts looking down on the floor.
And I feel like crying
I will never give up
I believe in my heart
It will come someday
The day of my dreams
It was notice by Chloe as she slowly made her way at the back of the audience as she spotted Maddie in the stage. It worried her as she looked at her daughter.
The class suddenly stop singing as the sound of piano still echo in the background when Jake step forward in the front of the class.
"I'm good at soccer. My dream is to join the national soccer team then play pro soccer. I can do it!" Jake animatedly said as her mom smile in the crowd as the audience clapped their hands after he finished his part of the program.
Then Audrey stepped forward after."I'm good at singing and dancing. I can act, too. My dream is to become a singer and a great actress too!" She happily announced as audience clapped their hands for and so did in every children's speeches.
"I'm good at Mario Kart. I'm high in the rankings. Mom promised I can play more if I become a doctor." The audience laughed as Tom recite his dreams as he step back in the class formation.
It's been a moment when the piano kept playing as Maddie's classmates turned to her. It was her turned yet she remain in her position staring at the floor. The audience somehow wonder if the number was already done when no one stepped forward. Her teacher glance on her as she kept playing the piano giving Maddie a few moments.
It worried Chloe as Maddie just stand in silence at the stage.
"Maddie…" Chloe sadly whisper in the back of the audience sit.
Audrey somehow worriedly touched Maddie in the shoulder as she turned to her. Maddie slowly looked up from the floor. She searched through the sea of faces as her sad eyes shines when she saw Chloe in the back.
Chloe waved at her as her eyes turned glassy watching the sadness in her daughter's eyes.
"Maddie! Mama's here." She mouthed to Maddie as she eyes locked on her.
Then Maddie step forward in front as she stare at the audience. Chloe nodded encouraging her to start as she softly smile to her.
"I'm good at running. " She softly begin and halted for moment watching Chloe intently.
"I'm good at cleaning." She continue that made her classmates quickly turned their head to her.
"If you vacuum on high, it can't suck dust as much." She remember Chloe's instruction when they cleaned the living room.
"I'm good at doing laundry. You have to shake the clothes and then hang them." Chloe was stunned in silence as she cover her lips with her hand to suppress a sound.
"I'm good at washing my hair." She clearly imagine how Chloe demonstrate it to her on her own hair.
"I'm good at cooking too. The egg will break if you grasp it too hard" Maddie carefully spoke how her Mama teach her. Chloe cover her mouth closely as she try not to sob hard. She kept silently crying as she watched and listened to Maddie.
"I…" Maddie looked down at the floor as she temporary stopped. Then she slowly looked back at the audience when she continue her speech.
"I will protect and take care of my Mommy. Just I promised to Mama." She finally said as she stepped silently back in the group.
The audience was stunned in silence when Maddie finished as they never anticipate that kind of speech from a kindergarten program. Maddie watched them as the silence turned into uproar as the audience loudly clapped their hands as they were touched by Maddie's word.
Chloe watery clapped together with them as she watched her daughter in awed.
Maddie softly smile to her.
Beca was laying on the stretcher as the EMT place the oxygen masked in her face as she was slowly carried inside the ambulance.
The ambulance drive slowly far from the station and far from her family.
Chloe currently walking in the sidewalk headed back home from Maddie's school program when suddenly saw her shadow in front her. It was unusual bright coming from the clouds as it cast on her direction.
She turned around somehow hit her like an epiphany. She needs to go.
It's time. She thought.
She sighed deeply as sadness and pain crossed her eyes as she continue her walked back home.
Maddie was in bee-line as they walked back to their classroom after the school program when Audrey noticed something from the outside.
"The sun's out!" She excitedly pointed at the bright light. Maddie quickly looked as she recognition hit her. The rainy season was over.
The ray of the sunlight passed through the ambulance's window as Beca slowly came back from her unconscious state. She slowly open her eyes as the brightness of the light from the sun flood her vision. She quickly pull her oxygen masked when she stand up from the stretcher as she spoke to stopped the car.
She looked around as the usual dark clouds was gone replaced by the bright ray of the sun.
Then recognition crossed her face as only one person flood her mind.
Chloe
Maddie sneaked out from her class again.
She ran hurriedly inside their house as she quickly looked around.
"Mama!" She frantically shouted as she open the bedroom's door. But no one answer her. She immediately ran when she caught something in the living room table.
The page of her Cloudland book was laid open in the table. Then she immediately knew where her Mama at that moment.
"If you miss the last Raindrop Train, you can't go back to Cloudland"
She quickly ran as fast as she can to follow her.
To stopped her Mama somehow.
Chloe slowly stop walking in the train track as she looked back behind her. She's waiting for someone to show up. She wanted to properly say goodbye to them for the last time before she go.
But maybe it's for good not to, for it would really hard for them to let her go.
But deep inside it was hard for her to leave them behind.
Her family.
Her life.
Beca hurriedly open the door of the concert hall as she looked around. It was already empty as few personnel started to clear the area.
She quickly ran outside as she breathed hard from running.
She need to find Chloe.
The entrance of the tunnel was blocked with few log as Chloe step on it as she slowly enter the train tunnel.
She somewhat knew that it was Beca's deed.
"Mama!" She suddenly stopped and turned around. It was Maddie.
"Maddie!" Chloe quickly said.
Maddie was running full speed to her. She quickly walked back on her tracked to meet her for she worriedly afraid Maddie might tip with scattered log around the entrance.
"Mama!" Maddie worriedly hugged her waist tightly as she bury her face in her stomach. Chloe hugged her tight in returned as she kissed her forehead.
"Mama? You're not leaving now, are you?"Maddie softly whisper as she hugged Chloe tight.
Chloe slowly kneeled down in front of Maddie as her emotions rushed over her when she hear Maddie's word.
"Maddie" She softly spoke as she try to control the cracked in her voice as her eyes start to water.
"Listen to me carefully, okay?" Maddie slowly nod as she sadly stare at Chloe.
"It's time for me to go now." She slowly spoke as her words turned into sharp knife stabbing her own heart as she stare intently to Maddie's eyes that quickly turned glassy.
Maddie sniffle that Chloe quickly hugged her in her arms.
"I'm sorry baby… for not recognizing you sooner." She softly whisper to Maddie as her voice broke.
Beca saw a bike parked near the hall that she immediately grabbed it without hesitation. She drove it frantically back home that she almost got hit by a truck when she suddenly turned left without looking.
She quickly maneuver the bike to avoid the truck but end up bumped into the sidewalk pavement.
She was thrown out from the bike. But she quickly stand up as her sole thought was to find Chloe immediately.
But luck was not on her side as she picked up the bike again. The bike's wheel was deformed from the impact.
She inhale deeply as she start to ran again leaving the bike behind.
"Mama I'm sorry…" Maddie whisper softly suddenly as she kept hugging her.
"What? Why, Maddie?" Chloe wonder as she pulled Maddie from her embraced.
"It's because of me. You died because of me." She started to sob as tears racing down on her cheeks.
"What?Who said that?"
"I heard your relatives say you were sick because of me." She hiccup as she spoke.
"I'm sorry, Mama. If I knew, I would've been a better daughter." Chloe's face was mixed with rage, shocked and pain as she listen to Maddie as her lips tremble.
"Don't say that" She quickly said in broken voice. It was painful for her that Maddie blame herself.
"I was so happy because of you." She softly said as she wipes the tears of the young redhead.
"Still, if I wasn't born, you could have lived longer with Mommy" Maddie spoke as she cry harder.
"That's not true, Maddie." Chloe said in painful tone as she joined her daughter in tears as she try to explained to her.
"I would have been the same even if you weren't born. And...I wouldn't have been happy without you even if I lived beyond 100." She stare intently conveying the honesty in her words to Maddie as her tears keep falling in her cheeks.
"Really?" Maddie asked in hoarse voice from crying.
Chloe nodded holding her daughter's hand tight. "Of course!" She quickly said as eyes and nose turned red from crying. She inhale deeply to compose herself.
She sofly cupped Maddie's cheeks.
"Mama and Mommy… We met and felt in love. You complete our life both when you were born. You are the connection we have that made us stronger even more." Chloe explained as she wipes Maddie's tears.
"So I'm very thankful for you." She watery smile to Maddie.
"Really?" As Maddie eyes swollen from crying staring at Chloe as she slowly breathed.
"Yes, baby...Mama will go to Cloudland and keep watching you. Grow up well. And protect and take care of Mommy like you promised." Chloe spoke softly as her voice start to cracked.
"I'll never forget you, Mama." Maddie spoke sincerely that Chloe start to cry again.
"Good. Thank you." She barely whisper in returned as she embraced Maddie again.
Beca wobbly walked as she made to the forest from the street as she breath heavily from running. Chloe was on her mind as memory of the night of Maddie's birthday flashed before her.
"I wonder how Maddie will grow up. Sure she resembles me. But she's so much like you in many ways."
Beca suddenly stumbled on the ground as her vision turned blurry as Chloe's word and face kept flashing in her mind.
"Chloe…" She breathlessly whisper while laying in the ground as the memory of that night after they kissed rewind in her thoughts.
"Yes?" Chloe's voice echo in her head.
"I'm sorry" Beca suddenly spoke.
"For what?"
"I really...wanted to make you happy." Chloe laughed softly after Beca spoke quietly.
"Can't you see I'm happy?"
"I was more than happy just being with you. So don't ever feel sorry." Chloe sincerely staring at her even her eyes turned misty watching her.
"Chloe….Please,...wait..." Beca pleading softly as she try to stand up from the ground.
"Take good care of Maddie. Love her lots for me, too.." Chloe softly spoke in hoarse voice.
"Wait, Chloe...I'm coming. Hold on please… I'll be right there, Love." She silently cry as her body won't react to her plea.
Beca slowly crawled as she try to stand up again as tears pouring in the ground.
"Stay by Maddie's side for a long, long time. When you feel like you're a burden to her...then come meet me at Cloudland. I'll save you a spot beside me." Chloe affectionately stare at her as her eyes shine with tears as she smile. Beca embrace her tighter in returned.
"Chloe..." She softly whisper as she made it even her knees still shaking. She slowly walked but stopped few distances from her as her knees start to weak again.
Chloe turned around quickly when she felt her presence while standing at the end of the tunnel.
Beca clenched her teeth as she stop herself to whimper as tears racing in her cheeks watching Chloe afar. Her eyes spoke in understanding and pain as she slowly nod to Chloe in silent.
She understand.
Even it means she died again for second time around.
Chloe tearfully looked at her as she softly nodded in returned as she mouthed to her.
"I love you."
Like a soft echo in the air that whisper in Beca's ear that moment. It reached her.
She knew deep inside her soul.
Beca's blurry vision turned to darkness as her last memory of Chloe standing in the tunnel engrave in her soul.
The next chapter will be the epilogue. In much lighter tone I guess :D
Thank you for everyone dedicating their precious time reading the anomaly of mine to write a fic. I was mostly a silent reader and a supporter of the great fandom. It's really heart warming reading your comments. So thank you and I hope you enjoy the story till the end. (^_^)