She packed her bags that day. She had tears in her eyes, and she couldn't even decided if they were tears of happiness or of sorrow. Everything she owned (which wasn't much) went into her backpack. She raced down the stairs, for fear that if she didn't, she wouldn't go down at all, and start unpacking. She went to the kitchen, where she knew her mother would be, and hugged her.

"Good-bye, mother," she whispered, and hugged her tighter.

"Winnie, what's this about? It's not as if I'm going to die or anything." This last sentence almost pushed Winnie to tears again. No, mother, you're wrong. That's exactly what's going to happen. "I-it's nothing, mother. I've just realized what it would be like without you." She blinked back the tears and tried to swallow the lump forming in her throat. It wasn't working. I can't let her see me crying. She'd get suspicious.

"Well, I'm off to school. Good-bye!"

"Good-bye, dear." Winnie's mother smiled sadly. She couldn't picture life without her daughter either.