The Tear

The Tear

Anna watched the child sitting on the bed. A child… almost grown, Anna thought. But of course, she’d always be her child, even if she lived to be a hundred.

Lynn looked up again, absentmindedly searching the room, then back down to the book she was reading.

Anna always wondered what she felt when she was there. If she could only ask, ‘Do you remember me?’ but communication was not allowed, though Lynn always seemed to feel something. At first Anna was afraid she was doing something wrong, but her friends assured her.

“Every living being reacts differently,” they said. “Of course, they feel something, but they never know what, they assume it’s just the way things feel when they’re alone, or wherever they are when it happens.”

Anna was relieved, though sad. She didn’t want to disturb her daughter’s life, but she did want to see her, and see how she was doing. Anna’s own mother lived a long life, but Anna had to leave when Lynn was only five. Anna just needed to know she was all right.

Lynn looked up again. But this time, for the first time, she spoke. “I know you’re there. I’m not sure who you are, but I think you are my mother, and you make me very happy. I know I might be imagining this, but I think you are, and that you come back occasionally to check on me from time to time. Just know, I am fine, I am happy, I’m strong. The only thing that would make me happier would be if you were still in my life.”

Suddenly a drop of water landed on Lynn’s hand, a tear of joy bursting through the dimensions. She looked up, through her own tears, and said, “I love you too, Mom.”