She faded

"Mom, I know you are there with me holding my hands. I know you won't leave me all this way. All this was just a nightmare." Jade was murmuring within himself sleeping in his neighbor's house.

"Poor boy! Lost his mother at a very young age and his father stays at work more than at home." Mrs. Jonas said with a sympathetic face brushing Jade's hair with her hands.

"Fate is not in our hands, and neither we could change even if it does," said Mr. Jonas getting into the room with a glass of water.

"Anyways, we should keep an eye on him."

Jade slowly opened his eyes searching for his mother with a flustered look watching around. Mrs. Jonas turned to him from her husband, "Oh, you are awake! C'mon have some water."

"Aunt Jonas, why am I here? Where is my mom? I should see her. I had a very scary nightmare, I need to hug her. Mom! Mom, are you here?" frightenedly he was asking for his mother pushing the glass away. Mr. and Mrs. were looking at each other as they don't know what to say. Jade came down from the bed and started to search for his mom. When he rushed to his home, it was locked. Tears got filled in his eyes, yet he didn't want to cry keeping a hope that he will seek his mom soon. He hurriedly ran to Jonas and asked, "Where is my mom? She doesn't leave me alone then why can't I find her now?" with tears rolling down his face and wiping those again and again. Mr. Jonas slowly walked to him, gently took him into his arms, wiped his tears, and said, "Jade you know what, you had been lying on this bed for more than 24 hours."

"But where is my mom? Why aren't you saying anything about her?" asked Jade continuously wiping his tears.

Mrs. Jonas took him to the bed and made him sit on it. She sat beside him holding his shoulders. Her voice got a dull saying, "We don't know how to say but it's not right to hide it from you any longer."

Mr. Jonas sat on another side of him saying, "We know it'll be harsh on you but still we should confess it." by holding his hands.

Jade was looking at neither of them and sat silently listening to them. The couple hesitated a lot to say that but finally after a few minutes of confusing conversation turned into a serious moment. Mr. Jonas took a deep breath and spilled out the truth, "Jade, your mom is no more. She's dead. And you'll stay here with us until your father co…"

"Mom's dead? She's no more with me?" asked Jade with a shocking face of extreme disappointment by taking his hands out from Mr. Jonas.

Mr. Jonas tried to be more sensitive, "Jade, it's a bi…"

Jade interrupted him in between saying, "Uncle you're joking, right?" with a hopeful face.

"Jade, I'm not joking, I'm serious." Mr. Jonas tried to deal with him softly.

After listening to his uncle Jade got completely blank, tears were rolling down but this time he wasn't wiping those anymore, "Mom's not there with me anymore now?". He got kneeled on the floor, downed his head, "Mom's not there… Mom's dead… Mom's no more with me." saying all these, suddenly started to scream loud. He was calling his mother back crying out loud, "Mom please come back. I can't live without you. Mom, mom please! I'm begging you, please come back."

Mrs. Jonas was about to go near him, Mr. Jonas stopped her saying, "Let his pain get out. Don't stop him, let him cry out loud."

"But he's a small child like our son. He'll be mentally disturbed if we leave him like this."

"Sometimes crying out all the pain could make us feel better later. Let him cry as much as he can."

Mrs. Jonas looked at him with warmth and suddenly turned to her son Andrew who was watching all these by standing near the door. She took slow steps toward her son and kissed him on his forehead by hugging him tightly with tears in her eyes.

"Mom, what happened? Why are you crying? Andrew asked his mother with a confused look.

Wiping her tears Mrs. Jonas said, "Nothing, just wanted to hug you, my son."

The next day Jade's father came all along from a different state. Jade wasn't connected much to his father as he usually was at home less often due to his work. His father felt a bit relaxed after watching him be in their neighbor's house but meantime felt the sorrow of realizing his wife was no more. Jonas gave him the keys to his house and as soon as he opened the door Jade ran straight inside his room. A photo of Jade and his mom was lying on the table dust-covered on it. He took it in his little hands, wiped the dust on it, and started to cry silently hugging the photo. Mr. Williams did all the formalities regarding his wife's death. One week passed and unfortunately, he had to go back. He packed all his things and asked Jade to pack whatever he needs. Jade didn't talk much but did what his father asked him to. He packed all the things connected with his mom. Mr. Williams handed over the keys to Jonas again and said, "Mr. Jonas, thank you so much for taking care of my son, and again I'm leaving a burden on you."

"It's not a burden at all. Jade is just like our Andrew and he'll be staying good if he goes around with someone of his age."

"You're so kind-hearted. May God bless you with a good child like you."

"Yeah, just two months left to take my child in my arms." Mr. Jonas said with a warm smile.

By giving some money to Mr. Jonas, Mr. Williams said, "Keep this, and every month I'll keep it on a date."

"Jade is my responsibility."

Mr. Williams left the place but Jade didn't even give a send-off to his father. He stood in the garden just staring at the sky.

-To be continued