"Hogarth, there's something I want to show you. It's in my back yard."
"Sure. What it is?"
"You'll see. Come on."
Deidre gently grabbed Hogarth's arm and led him to the back yard. She then turned Hogarth away from the house.
"Don't turn around until I tell you to."
"Rodger that."
"Okay, ready? Turn around."
Hogarth turned around and gasped at what he saw. In front of him was a wall sized piece of sheet rock and on that was a painting that had her superhero character Nova, shadowed by a beautiful young woman that looked a lot like Deidre, against a background of outer space full of stars and galaxies. Never had Hogarth saw a painting so enchanting and vast.
"Deidre, this... this is amazing. I never seen anything like it. Nova looks so graceful and powerful, but who the woman that looks like you?"
Deidre was quiet for a moment before answering,
"That's my mother."
She sighed and laid herself down on the grass, gazing upward at the painting.
"I don't have any memories of her myself. You see, she died after giving birth to me, so I never got to have her in my life. The only time we had together was when she held be before dying.
"'My sweet Deidre, I want to be part of your life so much, but to my great sadness I can't. I just want you to know that I'll always be part of your life, even if I'm not there. I had a great feeling that you will do good one day and makes other happy. You're very lucky to have your daddy here for you. He'll take such good care of you and raise you to be great young woman. Just remember this: Mommy'll always love you and I'll always looking down in heaven, making sure that you have a good life. I love you, my precious girl. I love you so much.'"
"My dad told me that she said those words to me, right before she passed away. All the time my father reminds me of that, so I could stay strong."
Feeling very sorry for her, Hogarth laid down beside her, being shoulder to shoulder with her.
"That's sad. It's sad you never got to remember her or grow up with your mother. Sometimes I imagine what life would be like without my mother, but I'm lucky to have her. You, you're very lucky to have a father. I don't."
"Didn't your father died in the Korean War?"
"Well, yeah. I was just only four at the time. Me and my mom were so devastated over his death, especially me. Times were hard after he was killed. Mom struggled to make ends meet, so she had to work endless hours just to make sure we had food on our table and a roof over our heads. I'm very grateful she works so hard, just for me. It must make me feel bad that you don't have a mother."
"And I feel terrible that you lost your dad at such a young. No one should ever have to go through that, even you. What do you know about your father?"
"Of course I know that he was in the Air Force as a pilot. I have his helmet back in my room at home. I also know that he had my name Hogarth. was named after him, you know. My full name's Hogarth Williams Hughes Jr. My dad's full name's Hogarth Ted Hughes Sr."
"That sorta sounds fancy with the "Jr" and "Sr"."
"Yeah, I agree. One of my memories of him was that he would play airplane with me, picking me up and making me fly like a airplane. It was very fun and I would laughed. He would also tell me stories about being in the Air Force. I enjoyed hearing those stories and wanted to be Air Force pilot, just like him."
Hogarth sighed deep and sadly.
"I just miss him so much a lot at times."
Deidre felt sad hearing this. She felt sorry for him, but had great empathy for him, as she of course knows what is like to not have both your parents and the pain of that.
"I know how you feel, Hogarth, and I know you feel how I feel. But your lucky, you have Dean as a father figure in your life. He's very very good to you and your mom, and is there for you always. You get to have a father back, but I still don't have a mother figure." Deidre had a deep sadness that Hogarth could feel, pouring out of her like a cold chill.
Hogarth reached her Deidre's hand and gently held it, her skin warm and soft against his.
"I'm sure that you'll have a mother figure one day. You just got to believe in that. If you believe enough, then it'll come true. Trust me, good things will come to you. I promise."
Deidre felt her heart well up inside of her, deeply touched my Hogarth's kind words. She really started to like Hogarth and she was lucky to have him as her friend. She then leaned over and kissed Hogarth gently on the cheek, making Hogarth freeze and blush.
"Thank you, Hogarth. You really are the best friend that I could ever ask for. I'm lucky to have met you."
"Me, too." Hogarth couldn't believe that Deidre kissed his cheek. He was shocked on the outside, but ecstatic and happy on the inside. He sighed happily as they laid there hand in hand, looking up at the painting, quiet with thought but comforted being in each other's company.