they all leave eventually..? It played continuously, waiting for an answer. Her mind exploded. YES!, it shouted.Yea, they all eventually leave. Every single one of them, every single time. Every single person that ever succeeded in brightening her day and cheering her heart disappered as quickly as a cat in the night. As though happiness was only supposed to be some kind of weekend treat, like ice cream. Her mother had done, just as this evening's sun had done; had left her, had taken away the light and warmth and replaced it with a chill and dark.

Uncles and aunts that visited and helped moved or passed on. Friendly school teachers could only care for a school year; school friends developed and tried to find themselves too. It was always the good people that left, the people that weren't afraid to smile or love. She hugged her knees and cried and cried, like a little girl who hald fallen and cut her knee. She wished for her mother to come and pick her up, to carry her and rest her on the kitchen counter while she applied a plaster to her cut.And then just like she always did, she would carry her around the room, dancing and singing until the pain was forgotten and her tears dried.

She wished for him, her only love, to take her in his arms, in arms so big she was dwarfed in his embrance. She wished to be surrounded by his love while he rocked her slowly and softly as he used to do, whispering hushed of assurance in her ears and running his fingers through her hair. She believed him when he said them. He made her believe that everything will be OK and, lying in his arms, she knew that it would, felt that it would.