Alice dismounted the bus and walked down the street towards a house. A for sale sign hung sadly. So they hadn't sold her mothers house yet! Weeds littered the flower bed. Her mother would not have been amused. She knelt down on the grass and pulled at the weeds but it didn't help. She didn't have her mothers flair for gardening. She walked through the back gate into her back garden. She sat on the back step and looked at a pink stain on it. He and her mother had used to paint each others nails here. She smiled at the memory. She'd tried so hard to make her mums nails perfect. Her mother joked about how her tongue stuck out of her mouth when she concentrated. Of course Alice had spilt the nail varnish and when she went to grab it got herself and her mother covered in the sticky liquid. Then as they washed it off they both giggled like children.

She pulled out her old key and let herself in the back door, thankfully the alarm wasn't on! She walked into the kitchen slowly, her footsteps echoed through the lonely house. Memories flew through her mind. She stopped at a bench and laid her hand on it. Her mother and her had made a cake one time here, they'd both been covered in flour, both their floury footprints littered the floor. Her mothers dwarfed her little ones. They'd been wearing more flour that had went into the cake. She walked on through the hallway, her mother sitting patching her knee after she'd fell on her skates. She bit her lip to stop tears falling as she remembered her mothers gentle touch. God she missed her!

Into the living room she walked, there were lots of memories here. Watching TV, sitting talking. Birthdays and Christmases long passed. Family and friends crowded round the tree, love and laughter flowing between them. She then walked into her bedroom, her mother had discussed boys with her in here when she'd turned 12. Alice remembered the birds and bees talk she'd given her. It hadn't been uncomfortable for her, her mother had been uncomfortable though! Alice just thought it was hilarious. Her mother had tried to keep a straight face but her grin kept slipping through. Alice thought she described the act like a horror movie, at the end her mother had scared herself Alice thought. She patted her mothers hand and told her it would be ok! Not so happy memories after that, just lots of tears, her parents hadn't told her about the cancer when it was diagnosed they'd waited till it was terminal. She'd had 5 months 2 weeks and 6 days with her mother before she'd succumbed. She was grateful for every one, it just hadn't been enough!

She walked towards her parents bedroom and hesitated at the door. This had been the last place she'd seen her mother alive. She refused to go to hospital, wanted to be with her family she said. She stood and held the handle for a moment took a deep breath and turned it , the door creaked open. An image of her mother filled her brain. She was suddenly 13 again, her frail and gaunt mother lay on the bed. Her pale face tried to smile even though it hurt. Alice walked in and sat on the bed by her. She grasped her mothers hand.

"You be good for your father ok. I know your gonna do great things one day!" her other told her.

"Yeah, and your gonna be here to help me!" Alice had told her. She'd always believed that her mother would beat this. She never believed it would take her away!

He mother gave her a small smile.

"I love you baby girl! You're the best thing that ever happened to me. Everyday I had you was a blessing." her mother said.

Alice was scared, tears were streaming down her face.

"Mummy." she said. She hadn't called her mother that in years. "Why does it sound like your saying goodbye?" Alice had asked.

"Aw darling, I'm not saying goodbye - just see ya. As you like to say. We'll see each other again one day. I promise. Plus I'll watch over you and see you everyday!" her mother had said.

Her mother had known the end was near.

Her mother had pulled herself somehow into a sitting position and had smothered her daughters face with kisses. "For very time I won't be able to give you one." She'd said.

"I love you mum! I'll make you proud!" I'd said

"You already have baby. Love you too!" her mother had said. Alice walked out of the room to let her mum rest.

She'd then lay back on her bed and closed her eyes. 2 hours later the nurse came to tell Alice that her mother had passed away. She'd been 37. Alice held her face in her hands and cried.

After she'd finished sobbing she lifted her head and noticed a white piece of paper on the floor of the room. She walked over and saw it was an square envelope with her name on it. She tore it open and looked inside. 5 photographs slid out into her hand. The first picture was one of her mother with a huge bump, obviously heavily pregnant. She looked on the back and there was writing on the back.

I loved you from the second I found out I was carrying you. From that moment you became the most important person in my life

The second picture was on of her mother holding her while she was newborn. Alice's face was red and her arms were in the air. Her mother looked at the camera, exhaustion on her face clear to see but her eyes sparkled with happiness. She turned it over

The day you were born. 14 hour labour, you were hard work from the beginning, but none of that mattered when I looked into your blue eyes, identical to my own. My first thought was my god she's gorgeous and you are baby your beautiful!

The third picture was one of Alice by herself. she was 4 and was wearing her school uniform and scowling. She sat on the sofa with her arms crossed. She turned it over eager to read what her mum had said.

Your first day of nursery. You didn't want to go, didn't understand why you had to leave me. You clung to my leg and begged me not to leave you. I kissed you and said to show 'em your Collins spirit! You never looked back. I was so proud of you!

The fourth picture was a month before she started secondary school.

We'd been shopping for your uniform today.

Alice remembered they went out and bought bundles of stuff. She'd had so much fun with her mother. This picture had been taken when they'd gotten home. She was trying on all her stuff and her mother had ran in with the camera. On the picture you could clearly see Alice shouting NO and her hands were in the air trying to ward off the pictures.

You were so nervous about starting secondary school. I was too. It seemed that the years were flying over and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I thought that in 5 minutes time you'd be leaving for college.

The final picture had been taken 2 weeks before her parents had told her of the diagnosis. It was mid-march and they were sat outside in the back garden. Alice and her mother had sat in the swing hammock. Alice was getting over a virus and was still a little ill, her head rested on her mothers shoulder. She studied the picture. Now that she looked closely she noticed sadness in her eyes as her mother looked at her. She was pressing a kiss to Alice's hair. She turned over and read the last message.

To my dearest daughter,

I chose these 5 pictures because they encapsulate the special moments in your life. I could have went over and picked hundreds but I felt these pictures said what I wanted to say most clearly.

Obviously if your reading this it means I'm gone. I'm so sorry for leaving you, I know you need me and you have no idea how I wish I could still be there with you. Watch you grow into a beautiful enchanting woman I know you can be! How I wish I could have one more day - one more smile - one more hug. I hope you know that I'm proud of you and love you more each and every day! This thing invading my body hasn't taken all of me - I live on in you. You're the best part of me Alice. Grow up strong. Have a career - a life. A man who loves you above all else. And one day, in about 70 or 80 years after your life has been full we'll see each other again. Until then baby girl I love you so much!

This isn't goodbye darling

Love from

Mum

Alice wiped the tears from her eyes and clutched the photographs to her chest a CD clattered to the floor. A song for my baby girl it said.

Darius Rucker - It won't be like this for long.

Alice placed the CD in her player she used when her ipod ran put and pressed play. Soft music began to play.

She didn't have to wake up

She'd been up all night

Layin' there in bed listenin'

To her new born baby cry

She makes a pot of coffee

She splashes water on her face

Her husband gives her a kiss and says

It's gonna be OK

It won't be like this for long

One day we'll look back laughin'

At the week we brought her home

This phase is gonna fly by

So baby just hold on

'Cause it won't be like this for long

Four years later 'bout 4:30

She's crawling in their bed

And when she drops her off at preschool

She's clinging to her leg

The teacher peels her off of her

She says what can I do

She says now don't you worry

This'll only last a week or two

It won't be like this for long

One day soon you'll drop her off

And she won't even know you're gone

This phase is gonna fly by

If you can just hold on

It won't be like this for long

Some day soon she'll be a teenager

And at times she'll think she hates them

Then she'll walk down the aisle

And raise her veil

But right now she's up and cryin'

And the truth is that she don't mind

As she kisses her good night

And she says her prayers

She lays down there beside her

'Til her eyes are finally closed

And just watchin' her it breaks her heart

Cause she already knows

It won't be like this for long

One day soon that little girl is gonna be

All grown up and gone

Yeah, this phase is gonna fly by

So, she's tryin' to hold on

'Cause it won't be like this for long

The music stopped playing and she smiled. "Thanks mum!" she whispered. She took one last look at her mothers bedroom and closed the door. She walked slowly through the house. So many memories everywhere she looked. She walked out of the back door and locked it.

"Goodbye mum! Make sure someone nice lives here!" Alice said softly. She walked out of the back garden and out of the front gate. She stood at the fence and gave the house one last look. She then walked down the road towards the bus stop.

A/N Well there's that chapter a sort of closure for Alice. I know I've sorted of romanticised her mother as being perfect but things always look better when you remember them. Any feedback is greatly appreciated thankx x I thought this chapter was really quite sad :( poor Alice

Also the darius rucker song was actaully a man singing to his daughter but i changed it coz it's the most beautiful song!