47 Grace Steel The Star (1/2)

Edmond couldn't move he wanted to wrap his arm around Samantha but thought against it.He didn't want to scare her off and having her touch him felt too good.His face started to feel hot and was happy that he didn't he didn't restyle his hair again but tied it back into a tiny ponytail while the a side fringe covered half his face.

”My dad said she died because she was sick but I don't know if it was true... dad doesn't like to bring her up and honestly that's all I can remember.” Olivia said sadly while looking at Edmond for answers.Edmond took the opportunity to look for support before telling the tale and cuddled Samantha back.

”It's true princess she died because she was sick... but that's not all.” he said with a shaky voice.Edmond squeezed Samantha a little harder before he let go of her completely ”Your mom caught a cold, everyone including your mom thought nothing of it... but one day she started to violently shake, spewing out bodily fluids everywhere... you were with her, you cried so much and so loudly that we came running and... well we rushed her to the hospital.”Edmond allowed his uncovered eye to show the true sorrow he felt, while he thought back.

”Her body was deteriorating, the doctors couldn't figure out why, so they ran some blood tests.Ends up your mom was 4 months pregnant and hadn't told anyone yet... but there was something else mixed in the blood, something they couldn't really figure out.Your dad went crazy trying to find a doctor to help her and the baby and after exhausting every lead he found a hospital that could.”

”Everything seemed to be going great after that.Grace started to get better... we thought she was getting better... but it acted faster during the second wave.It caught everyone by surprise we all kissed her goodnight and started to leave but you started to cry for no reason.We didn't know what to do, it was so rare that you cried, that I ran to the car to get you plushie while your dad just hugged you.”Edmond's voice started to become shallow while silent tears rolled down his face.

”To this day we don't know where you got the strength to push your dad off but you knocked him backwards onto the floor and ran back into the hospital... You went back to your mom's room and... sigh... we found you pretty fast but you just stood there staring at you mom.Her heart gave up after she closed her eyes.We cremated your mom and the baby and mixed their ashes together so that they would at least have each other.” he said as he wiped up his tears.

Olivia's face paled deathly white, tears started to overflow from her eyes, she now knew everything and she was happy but sad at the same time.Eli brought her closer to him and let her head rest on his shoulder till her tears dried out.

....

It was finally dark enough for Eli and Olivia to make their way to the porch.Edmond kept his word and left them alone on the swing while he and Samantha made their way to the guest house.

They sat silently, as they looked up into the sky.Olivia reached out to hold Eli hand ”After my mom...after 'they' were cremated, me and my dad brought them back on their one year anniversary... Dad said she loved this place so much that it would make the best resting place.” she said solemnly.

Eli turned to look at her ”No!Keep looking at the sky or we might miss her!” she cried.Eli was confused so did what he was told and went back to looking up at the sky.Olivia gave a small laugh ”You might think it's silly but when my dad threw their ashes into the wind at that moment a shooting star lit up the sky.I was 7 at the time and my dad came up with a white lie, that he 'released her back into the sky and if we came back every year we can catch her shooting through the air, as she gives us her love and blessing'.... but I guess now it's 'they' will give us their love.”