heard the sirens coming for her.
Chapter Eight
Rose
BRYNN COULDN’T BELIEVE that she was seeing Rose. It didn’t make any sense. She looked down at her belly and was relieved to see that it was still swollen, full of her growing baby. She was still wearing her nightgown, her long flowing white nightgown that made her feel so pretty and feminine.
And now, out of nowhere, there was Rose coming toward her, almost floating.
Where am I? She thought, confused. She had never been in a place like this before, and it was nothing that she recognized. It was like a place in a dream where there were no ceilings, floors, or walls. There was just space, and Brynn felt like she was dreaming.
You’re nowhere. Rose answered her wordlessly, and Brynn was surprised that Rose could read her thoughts. Don’t think about where you are. You are here with me, and that’s all you need to know.
Brynn had a thought. Am I dead? Are my baby and I both dead?
No! Rose’s voice in Brynn’s head seemed to laugh a musical, pretty laugh that Brynn had never heard before. You aren’t dead. I’m just looking out for you for the time being. Your body is going through a great ordeal right now. Don’t worry. You’ll be fine.
Brynn felt better, relieved. She put her hand on her belly and rubbed it gently as though to tell her baby that it was going to be okay. Are you okay, Momma? I’m sorry for abandoning you before you died.
Oh, baby girl, don’t worry about that. I was fine. Jane was wonderful to me. Rose was always forgiving, and Brynn wasn’t surprised that she forgave her so easily.
But Momma, I left you when you needed me the most. And I’m so sorry for what I did to you. I didn’t know how sick you were. Brynn was so ashamed. She had been living with the guilt for abandoning Rose for over a year. Rose had loved her too much, and Brynn was suffocating under the weight of her neediness. And when Adam left her, Brynn couldn’t deal with Rose any longer. She was fighting her own battles, and she couldn’t deal with Rose’s anymore. If I had known…
I know, baby girl. I know. Brynn felt Rose’s forgiveness flowing through her, like a tingling feeling from the inside out. Rose was different here. She made sense and was motherly; unlike how she was all of Brynn’s life. Brynn wished Rose had been this way while she was alive.
I wish that I had been different, too. I know that I needed you too much. I know that I wasn’t much of a mother to you. But I couldn’t be that person to you. I didn’t know how. And by the time I figured it out, it was far too late.
Brynn was ashamed of herself. How could she let Rose know her thoughts? She had to be more careful. I know that it wasn’t your fault, Momma. I know now that you did protect me from him. You did try to keep him from hurting me.
I didn’t do everything that I could have, Brynn. You know that. I should have left. That was the only sure way to protect you. Brynn felt Rose’s sadness, and it made her want to cry.
Oh, Momma, why weren’t you like this when you were alive with me? Why now? Why are you so different now? Brynn’s heart was filled with longing for a life that she could’ve lived with this Rose.
I was afraid. But I’m not afraid any longer. I was a coward, and I failed at my most important and only job. And I’m sorry. But you’ll be different. You’ll be a much better mother than I ever was.
Will I? How will I? Brynn was curious how this Rose could know.
Suddenly it got blindingly bright, and Rose disappeared with a flash. Brynn felt as though she were flying at a high rate of speed, controlled and even.
She realized that she wasn’t afraid anymore.
She was finally ready to be a mother.
Chapter Nine
Ellie’s Long Road Home
THE SOUNDS OF THE SIRENS were distant, but audible. She knew that the sirens were coming, because someone had heard the gun shot. She knew that they would be coming for her, looking for her.
Ellie did what she
Chapter Eight
Rose
BRYNN COULDN’T BELIEVE that she was seeing Rose. It didn’t make any sense. She looked down at her belly and was relieved to see that it was still swollen, full of her growing baby. She was still wearing her nightgown, her long flowing white nightgown that made her feel so pretty and feminine.
And now, out of nowhere, there was Rose coming toward her, almost floating.
Where am I? She thought, confused. She had never been in a place like this before, and it was nothing that she recognized. It was like a place in a dream where there were no ceilings, floors, or walls. There was just space, and Brynn felt like she was dreaming.
You’re nowhere. Rose answered her wordlessly, and Brynn was surprised that Rose could read her thoughts. Don’t think about where you are. You are here with me, and that’s all you need to know.
Brynn had a thought. Am I dead? Are my baby and I both dead?
No! Rose’s voice in Brynn’s head seemed to laugh a musical, pretty laugh that Brynn had never heard before. You aren’t dead. I’m just looking out for you for the time being. Your body is going through a great ordeal right now. Don’t worry. You’ll be fine.
Brynn felt better, relieved. She put her hand on her belly and rubbed it gently as though to tell her baby that it was going to be okay. Are you okay, Momma? I’m sorry for abandoning you before you died.
Oh, baby girl, don’t worry about that. I was fine. Jane was wonderful to me. Rose was always forgiving, and Brynn wasn’t surprised that she forgave her so easily.
But Momma, I left you when you needed me the most. And I’m so sorry for what I did to you. I didn’t know how sick you were. Brynn was so ashamed. She had been living with the guilt for abandoning Rose for over a year. Rose had loved her too much, and Brynn was suffocating under the weight of her neediness. And when Adam left her, Brynn couldn’t deal with Rose any longer. She was fighting her own battles, and she couldn’t deal with Rose’s anymore. If I had known…
I know, baby girl. I know. Brynn felt Rose’s forgiveness flowing through her, like a tingling feeling from the inside out. Rose was different here. She made sense and was motherly; unlike how she was all of Brynn’s life. Brynn wished Rose had been this way while she was alive.
I wish that I had been different, too. I know that I needed you too much. I know that I wasn’t much of a mother to you. But I couldn’t be that person to you. I didn’t know how. And by the time I figured it out, it was far too late.
Brynn was ashamed of herself. How could she let Rose know her thoughts? She had to be more careful. I know that it wasn’t your fault, Momma. I know now that you did protect me from him. You did try to keep him from hurting me.
I didn’t do everything that I could have, Brynn. You know that. I should have left. That was the only sure way to protect you. Brynn felt Rose’s sadness, and it made her want to cry.
Oh, Momma, why weren’t you like this when you were alive with me? Why now? Why are you so different now? Brynn’s heart was filled with longing for a life that she could’ve lived with this Rose.
I was afraid. But I’m not afraid any longer. I was a coward, and I failed at my most important and only job. And I’m sorry. But you’ll be different. You’ll be a much better mother than I ever was.
Will I? How will I? Brynn was curious how this Rose could know.
Suddenly it got blindingly bright, and Rose disappeared with a flash. Brynn felt as though she were flying at a high rate of speed, controlled and even.
She realized that she wasn’t afraid anymore.
She was finally ready to be a mother.
Chapter Nine
Ellie’s Long Road Home
THE SOUNDS OF THE SIRENS were distant, but audible. She knew that the sirens were coming, because someone had heard the gun shot. She knew that they would be coming for her, looking for her.
Ellie did what she
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