My desperate plea reverberated in the room, tears streaming down my cheeks and onto the floor.
This was the first time I cried out so loudly since my mother vanished.
Only in her presence could I unleash the full range of my emotions-joy, anger, sorrow, and grievance-like a child.
But today, after I briefly reunited with her, she left me again.
The torment, the suffocation, the never-ending darkness engulfed me, leaving me breathless.
My beloved mother vanished before my eyes.
âARIâ
A hoarse scream tore from my throat as my body surrendered, crumbling to the floor.
Tears flowed freely, unstoppable.
I couldnât remember how long Iâd been crying; all I knew was that my voice had turned hoarse.
As I curled up and wept, I heard the door creak open.
Suddenly, strong arms lifted me, pulling me into a comforting embrace.
âHoney, whatâs the matter?â Calebâs worried voice reached me.
âWhy are you crying? What happened?â
My shoulders shook as tears kept rolling down, and I stayed silent, shaking my head.
Caleb embraced me tightly and asked carefully, âAre you upset because you havenât found the clues youâre looking for?â
I didnât reply.
Instead, I clung to Caleb, finding solace in his warmth.
Finally, I managed to speak.
âNoâ¦â
With tears streaming down my cheeks, I sobbed, saying, âI saw my mother just now.
She talked to me a lot.
But then she left again, vanished.
She said weâd meet again, but I donât know whenâ¦â
Even though Caleb couldnât understand fully, he stayed by my side, offering comfort.
âDonât worry.
Iâm here for you.
â
He gently caressed my head and said, âHoney, youâll have another chance to see her.
Donât be sad.
Iâll be here waiting with you.
â
Despite his soothing words, doubts lingered in my heart.
Would I truly see her again?
Really?
Would I truly have the opportunity to see my mother once more?
As I drifted into a daze, Calebâs soft words reached my ears.
âNo matter what comes our way, Iâll be right here beside you.
Weâve faced challenges together before.
I believe we can overcome any difficulties in the future.
Donât worry.
Weâll make it through.
â
His reassuring touch on my back eased my distress.
With Calebâs gentle reassurance, my tears gradually stopped, and I started to feel more composed.
Gradually, the pain and suffocating feeling started to subside.
Caleb let out a sigh of relief and handed me a tissue, wiping away my tears tenderly.
Then, he tucked my hair behind my ears.
However, he refrained from asking about what had happened.
Instead, he expressed concern, saying, âHoney, youâve been crying for a while.
Are you hungry?â