To a Better Place

She got into the car with a massive burden on her shoulders, the papers of the results the doctor gave her felt heavier than they were. She looked over to her left, towards her husband who had his head on the wheel.

“Don’t be like this.”

“How can I not?” 

She took a deep, shaky breath. “We knew this was going to happen. We were prepared.”

“No amount of preparation can make this situation any lighter, Daphne.” 

“Of course. But we need to be strong, especially when we tell Luna.”

“I can’t.”

“I will, Fred. Don’t worry.”

They drove back home in silent. So silent, it actually made her feel irrigated. But she was going to hold it. After all, she did not have much time left…

The illness was taking a lot of energy from her, the simple car ride to the clinic and back made her feel like a sack of soil. But seeing her daughter waiting for her on the window, gave her a reason to stay strong.

She placed a smile on her face, hoping it would be convincing enough to show her daughter that she was not in pain. 

“Mama!” she cheered as they walked into the house. 

“Mama needs to use the bathroom honey,” Fred said. “Come to papa.”

Daphne closed her eyes briefly, thanking him silently. She quickly washed up all the hospital smell out of her and dressed up comfortably in her pajamas. She looked at her result papers once more before shoving them inside the drawers. It was time to tell her. How was that going to be possible, she didn’t know. Daphne slowly walked towards the living room.

She took a deep breath before she sat down and patted on the sofa to call her daughter to sit beside her. Luna smiled brightly and wobbled towards the sofa and sat beside her mother. Finding the last bit of strength Daphne has in herself, she took her daughter into her arms and with a sorrowful tone, she began to speak.

“Sweetheart, mama needs to tell you something.”

“What is it mama?”

This is going to be hard, she thought. But she needs to do this. She took another shaky deep breath. “I need to go somewhere really soon.”

“Where? Can I come too?” Luna asked innocently.

She smiled bitterly. “No, not yet dear. I need to go alone.”

“But where?”

“Remember Sage? Our kitty cat?”

Luna nodded her head. “Yes. You told me she went to a better place.”

“Well, now I need to go there too.”

“I miss Sage,” she pouted. “Can I not come with you?”

“No, not yet my dear. You’re still so young for that.”

“You’re young too.”

Daphne could not hold her tears anymore. She looked up to see her already crying husband Fred. Luna, following her mother’s gaze, she saw her father crying and turned to look at her mother crying as well. Not understanding what was going on, her bottom lip quivered and her eyes started to fill with tears. 

“What is it?” she asked again. 

Fred stood up from where he was sitting, took Luna in his arms. He could not handle it anymore. “Mama is going to Heaven. Because she is sick.”

“What?” she looked at Daphne. “Mama?”

Glaring at Fred, as soon as she heard her daughter calling her, her face warmed up. She forced a smile, extending her arms to hold her. Fred sniffed before handing Luna to her Daphne. 

“Asshole,” she whispered into his ear as she was helping her sit on her lap. 

“Mama, is papa right? You’re going to Heaven?”

“I’m really sorry, Luna. Yes, mama is going to Heaven. I mean, hopefully.”

Luna pouted, rather cutely in Daphne’s eyes, and sniffed. “All mamas go to Heaven.”