(This fic was a bit of a challenge to write. I tried to convey the voice and naivety of a child too young to know the ways of the world yet. As always, I will accept flames without complaint, but will honestly say I prefer constructive criticism. Thanks to Sara for reading something I wrote maturely for once.)
When Mommy Died
by Spirit Lovelorn
*****
Daddy woke me up in the middle of the night. He said something bad had happened to Mommy. He said that her car was in an accident and that she died on the way to the hospital.
"Died?" I asked. "What does that mean?"
It took a few moments for Daddy to tell me.
"It's, um, when someone goes to sleep for a long time."
"But Mommy can't go to sleep now!" I protested. "She said she was gonna teach me piano!"
Daddy put me in his lap and rocked me. Why did he look so sad? Mommy was only sleeping. She'd wake up eventually, right?
*****
Over the next few days, a lot of people came to our house. Some people came in, and talked with Daddy, but a lot of them just laid flowers along our fence. Daddy said that a ton of people knew who Mommy was because of her songs. I didn't get it. Daddy told me she was sleeping. Why were people making a big deal?
*****
After those few days had gone by, Daddy got me up early and made me put on this light blue dress that Mommy would always say it looked so pretty on me. He was wearing his army clothes.
"We're going to say good-bye to Mommy," he told me.
"We don't have to say good-bye," I reminded him. "She's gonna wake up and everything will be the way it always is."
Daddy wiped a tear from his eye.
We went to this building that looked kinda like a mansion. A few of our relatives were waiting there. Daddy talked with my grandpa and my uncle. My grandma told me I looked adorable, and she said something to Daddy about "how tough Julia's death was going to be on Rinoa." I don't really like it when adults talk about me when I'm there. It makes me feel like I did something bad.
Daddy soon took my hand and we followed our relatives into the building. We went to a room that had lots of flowers sitting around it. There were some chairs, and a big wooden box in the front of the room.
Mommy was laying inside the box. I was so happy to see her. I ran past Daddy and up to the box. She was wearing her favorite red dress, which I thought was really weird.
"Daddy?" I called out for him. "Mommy can't be comfortable sleeping in here. She needs a bed, and why isn't she in her nightgown?"
"Poor dear," my grandma said.
"Mommy, wake up!" I poked her shoulder. "Wake up Mommy, please?"
I knew I wasn't supposed to bother Mommy while she's sleeping, because she works so hard, but I just knew Mommy wouldn't mind this time. I hadn't seen her for a couple days and I really missed her.
"Mommy!" I screamed. "Why won't you get up!?"
Then, I understood everything. Why everyone was ad. Mommy wasn't going to wake up. She was really sleeping. Her accident did something awful to her. Now she had to lay in a box in her red dress, looking like she was sleeping.
"Mommy!" I wailed. Daddy picked me up and I punched him in the shoulder.
"You told me she was sleeping!" I started crying.
He didn't say anything. He just held me. He sat down and kept me on his lap, letting me cry on his shoulder.
*****
"Things are going to be different, Rinny," Daddy was telling me. "It's just going to be me and you from now on, but don't be sad. Mommy doesn't want to hear that you're sad because she's in heaven."
"Heaven?"
"Uh, this is a little tough to explain." Daddy scratched the back of his head. "Every person has a soul inside of them. It's what makes us who we are. When a person dies, their soul leaves their body and goes to either heaven or hell. Your mom was a good person, so she went to heaven."
I was a little confused, but Daddy kissed my forehead and said, "You'll understand when you're older. Now before you go to sleep, let me give you something."
He held up a necklace and put it around my neck. I stared at the little silver ring on it.
"It's your mom's wedding ring," Daddy explained. "That way, you'll always know she's watching over you."
I gave him a big smile, which looked kinda funny because I had just lost my two front teeth. Knowing Mommy wasn't entirely gone made me feel better.
"Good night, Rinny," Daddy called as he went to the door.
"Good night, Daddy," I called back.
And good night, Mommy.
*****
(So what did you think? Hate it? Love it? Thinks it's only okay? I'd appreciate feedback, please! *gives big puppy dog eyes that look really stupid* It's tough to think like a five year old when you're dead tired after three hours of band camp. [And yes, I've been to band camp... Go ahead and laugh, American Pie fans...] Hopefully, I did a half-decent job.