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Chapter Seven

The pounding of her heart ricocheted through her body. How had she been so blind? The way the room grew cold whenever he was near her. The way he talked about the house. The way he missed his mother…

Mai's breath caught momentarily when it all came crashing down. Jacob was the child wrapped in the blanket in her dream. All he wanted was his mother but she was no longer here. He hadn't even known she had died. Mai's heart broke at the thought of this poor child going through all of this on his own for so long and closed her eyes.

Determination filled her and she opened her eyes. Looking to her right, the family was still talking amongst themselves so she took the opportunity to quietly make her way out of the base. Upon entering the hallway, she could hear Lin talking on his mobile in another room. She wondered if she should tell him everything but something made her want to find Jacob right away. He had waited so long as it was, she wanted to free him from this limbo.

She silently made her way up the stairs. With each step she could feel the chill in the air growing colder and colder. She stopped at the top of the stairs and looked to the end of the hallway where Jacob's, well actually Harry's, room was. Doubt began to invade her thoughts and she hesitated. What if he didn't want help? What if he grew angry, would he hurt Harry again?

No. He was just a little boy who wanted to find his mum. She stood before the closed door and slowly reached out to turn the handle. Her fingers were mere millimeters away when it suddenly began to creak open on its own.

"1939?" Lin replied to his colleague.

"That's right. Due to the war, many were left without much food not to mention money. The town you are in was badly hit by the poor economy. Hellen Jones, twenty-nine years old, and her son Jacob, four years old, were two of the tenants staying there. They both died of scarlet fever at the residence during that year," Yasuhara replied professionally.

"So it was scarlet fever," Lin muttered to himself, thinking back to Mai's description of the victims in her dream. "I thought there was a cure by that point in time."

"There was, but they may not have been able to afford it."

Lin thought he heard something outside the dining room he was in and walked over to the entryway only to see a short brunette cautiously making her way up the stairs. His eyes narrowed.

"What is she up to?" he whispered to himself.

"Pardon?" Yasuhara questioned.

"Something has come up. I will call you back if necessary. Your help has been appreciated," Lin said curtly and hung up his mobile before he could hear a response.

Stealthily he followed his new employee, curious as to what she was doing.

As the door opened, a blast of cold air twirled around her and she covered her face until it settled. Opening her eyes she saw the young boy perched at the edge of the bed. He was looking down at his hands that were growing damp from his falling tears.

"Hello, Jacob," she greeted softly.

"You're back," the young boy whispered without looking.

"I…" she didn't know what to say. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't notice sooner."

His watering pale blue eyes turned to her. "You know now?"

She nodded and began to carefully make her way over to him.

"I don't know what's happening. I just want mummy to come home," he hiccuped and wiped his tears. "I want to tell her I'm not sick anymore and everything can be okay again. There's too many new people and everything looks so different, I just want my mummy."

"I know, sweetie. Change can be scary," Mai whispered and sat down next to the child. "But guess what?"

He looked at her with sad curiosity.

"Mummy is waiting for you," she smiled comfortingly.

His eyes grew wide. "Where? I looked everywhere but I couldn't find her. That new lady looks like her but she isn't my mummy."

Mai opened her arms, beckoning him to sit on her lap. "Let's rest and when you wake up she will be there. She's been waiting for you, Jacob."

The little boy looked at her wearily and slowly crawled into her lap. "I am really tired."

"I know, love. Just close those eyes and think of your mum," she whispered lovingly into his hair.

The young boy curled up into her chest and closed his eyes.

Mai's chin began to quiver as she held back her tears and began to sing. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine."

A smile pulled at the boy's lips. "That's that new song...it's Mummy's favorite..."

"Mummy will sing it to you when you see her," she consoled, stroking his hair and placing a kiss on his forehead. "Do you see that light, Jacob? That's where Mummy is; she's just through that light."

Another smile pulled at his lips as he grew more relaxed. "It's warm."

Mai was glad his eyes were closed as the tears began to cascade down her cheeks. She kept her voice as level as she could as she continued her song.

"You are my sunshine,

My only sunshine.

You make me happy,

When skies are grey.

You'll never know dear,

How much I love you.

Please don't take my sunshine away."

The boy's cold body began to grow warm and Mai felt a conflict of heartbreak and happiness fill her. Even during the brightness of day, a soft light began to emanate around the child and she held him tightly one last time in farewell. Her arms suddenly felt light and when she opened her eyes she knew he was gone.

She looked down at her hands in her lap and took in a shaky breath before the sobs overtook her.

Jacob was finally at peace.

From the hallway, Lin watched everything transpire. Without wasting another moment he pulled his mobile from his pocket and dialed a number he knew by heart. Quickly descending the stairs and making his way towards base the person on the other side of the phone finally answered.

"Noll, we need to talk."