"B-but Ruby said you died!" Cindy's eyes were wide with shock, thankfully the others hadn't heard, who knows how they would've reacted, then she realised something.
"You sang that fucking lullaby to an infant?"
The woman blinked.
"Lullaby?"
A fierce, almost angry breeze blew, sending some debris flying as they flinched. More thunder rumbled through the heavy, dark clouds high above their heads. It was like someone was standing beside them, radiating rage...or misery...but as soon as the breeze came, it went.
Cindy recited it, nearly bursting into tears again, forcing herself to shut her eyes to stop herself from doing so. When she finished and looked up, Opal had an expression of mute horror.
"I...how could she?"
"What do you mean by that? Why would you even care?" She hissed, trying to keep her voice down despite everyone looking at them now.
"The thing is, when I had Ruby, I didn't have time to look after her..."
I worked a lot to pay back my debts...being a young mother wasn't easy...I didn't even know who her father was...I still don't...
Because I was spending so many hours away from home and I couldn't afford for Ruby to go into day care, I asked my younger sister to look after her during the time I was away...some days were so long that I didn't even get to see my baby until two or three days later having to work several jobs at once...
...however if I known that my sister was a drug addict and an alcoholic, I would have never asked her to watch my child...
I came home from work one night to find both my sister Stacey and my daughter Ruby, gone.
I panicked. I searched around the house, screaming their names out and after ringing her mobile, I couldn't get a hold of her. I called the Police and told them everything and they searched around everywhere...
When they finally found my sister's car...Stacey had killed herself...and you were close behind...
She turned to look at Ruby's pale face.
"I wanted to see you but Social Services wouldn't even let me look at you..." A tear ran down her cheek.
"The foster mother that was looking after Ruby said that Stacey was her mother...and that her actual name was Kiseichū."
Opal looked at Ruby with tears in her eyes.
"That bitch Stacey...how dare she..." She growled before looking at Ruby.
"I would never name my child that...Stacey did some things but this is the lowest..."
"Then why did it take you so long to get here?" Opal sighed.
"Our hometown where Ruby was born is so far away from here, I guess Social Services thought it'd be safer to take her as far away as possible...I only found out through a friend, he sent me a message and a photo nearly a week ago since Ruby had the same name and description as her...she even has the same birthmark..."
"Birthmark?" Cindy asked as Opal gently reached in and turned Ruby's right hand over, revealing the crescent splotch mark she always tried to hide from her.
"She always said that was a burn..." She mumbled as Opal shook her head.
"No it's not...I just find out where my daughter is and meet her for the first time at her funeral..." Tears poured down her face as she sobbed.
"I'm glad they told you your real name..." She sobbed, her waist length black hair swishing as she knelt and held her child's hand.
"..."
Realising what truly happened to Opal and Ruby made Cindy freeze, her eyes wide.
"Uh-I...oh my God.." Cindy started to cry harder then before. Ruby never knew...
Because of her Aunt...the one who destroyed their chance of being together...
You know that feeling of pure, undying rage? That's exactly what she felt now.
Learning that your mother was completely innocent...what would Ruby say?
In another fit of anguish and sorrow, she sobbed as the rain continued to fall.
"Very soon..." Crystal looked up, barely hearing a whisper. "...very soon."
Everyone was silent as they finally closed the coffin, lowering it into the ground.
Staring at her face one last time, everyone whispered goodbye as they started to fill in the grave, thunder rumbling overhead.
"..."
Opal wiped her eyes, however she continued to cry, not having the chance to tell her daughter the truth about everything...it destroyed her, she probably died thinking, 'Why does my own Mother not love me?' She let out a choked sob.
Cindy had slowly walked back to the crew and explained everything.
Everyone stared at the woman who knelt beside it, talking quietly, so no one would hear.
"I'm so sorry Baby Girl...I wasn't there to teach you anything...I missed out on your entire childhood and those awkward puberty stages...I'd give anything to just be able to apologise to you, for you to scream at me for not being there..."
She let out another choked sob, furiously wiping her eyes.
"You're probably pissed at me...though I wouldn't blame you..."
A hand rested on her left shoulder and she slowly turned her head around.
A young blonde girl was staring at her, with one green and and the other blue...blue?
It looked so much like Ruby's when she was a baby...
She looked like she was struggling, was unsure of what she wanted to say and brushed her thick fringe out of the way of her eye but once she looked at Opal with that blue eye, her facial expression changed completely, like she was an entirely different person.
"It's okay," Opal blinked, she sounded a lot older then she looked. "...I forgive you."
Opal's eyes widened.
"H-how-what?" She blinked in disbelief.
"My time here is limited...but I heard every word...and I want you to know that I forgive you Mum..." She smiled, her eyes watering slightly.
"Don't worry, I've had a good life with the best group of friends looking out for me...I have no regrets now...thank you.." She smiled again as Opal hugged Crystal.
"Ruby, I'm so sorry."
"Don't be...just...be happy..."Crystal sighed. "I have to go now...It was nice being able to meet my real mother before leaving..." Crystal said with a sad smile before her blue eye clouded over, her green eye coming back into focus.
"Ugh...my head..."
Opal was quiet but she smiled.
"What's your name?" Crystal looked up, suddenly surprised.
"M-me? I'm Crystal."
"Crystal...thank you..." She smiled before turning and walking away. "It was nice to talk to Ruby before she moved on..."
Those dark clouds had lightened, the rumbling stopped and the rain fall changed from fat heavy drops to soft sprinkles, the weather calming down as a faint silhouette stood on top of the new grave.
They smiled and vanished.
Thus, the book closes on this series.
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Yet another awaits to be opened...
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'Ghost: A New War'