All That Lies Beyond

She was alone. Everyone was alone.

Adrina looked to the window and all that lay beyond.  The sky was a dark violet and there was no moon this night.

“Adrina would you like to tell me if the sun is a planet or star?” Asked the teacher.

“Okay,” replies Adrina, pulling her eyes from the window and Beyond, “ the answer is star because it shines”.

“Very good.” Says the teacher.

At that moment the door opens and Marie comes to take Adrina to her white room.

“Hello Adrina” says Marie.

“Hello Marie” replies Adrina.

Adrina is in her white room and sits on her bed.  She moves her hand across the bed covers.  They are new and clean.  The fabric feels good under her palm.  It feels like Baby.  Adrina remembers Baby.  Baby was small and round.  Cheeks the color of rose petals and eyes the color of the morning sky.  Baby girl, Adrina’s baby girl.

Gone.

Baby Girl Gone.

Adrina screamed and tore at the sheets.  Her arms flailing in the air and the white sheets slashing about the white room.  Marie and the doctors come rushing in.  Marie quickly pulls Adrina into an embrace, knowing everything. The doctors leave with the white bed sheet.

Adrina cries and cries, rocking in Marie’s arms, trying to hold on to today and on to herself.

Adrina leaves today from the Pan’s Psychiatric Center.  She passed.  At least that’s what the doctors told her.  Marie tells her this too.  The doctors tell her that she has forgotten about the “incident” and say she can go home to her family.  But Adrina does not forget, she will

Never

Forget.

Adrina walks to her mother’s car with Marie.  The two women turn to face each other once they reach the road where Adrina’s mom waits.  There is nothing but pure love in their hearts for one another.

Marie knows. And she knows because Adrina told her.  Because one day when Adrina remembered her Baby Girl, Marie had come in to her white room and just simply took Adrina into her arms.  Adrina cried and cried. A whole day had passed and Adrina was still crying, with Marie by her side.  Adrina stopped crying and stared at Marie with twinkling eyes and Adrina said:

“Do you wanna know bout’ my Baby Girl?”

Marie replied: “Yes, Yes I do.”

So Adrina talked about her baby girl’s sky blue eyes, rosy red cheeks and how she giggled like the wind caressing the trees.

Now Marie smiled at Adrina and she told her of her bravery and her strength for getting through the toughest times.  Marie knew how Adrina would never forget her daughter and that some nights Adrina may wake up scared and alone, but Marie also knew that Adrina was the most courageous woman she had ever met. For Adrina had fought past the dark and found the light.

“Goodbye.”  Says Marie.

“Goodbye.” Replies Adrina.

Adrina gets inside the car, closes the door and rolls down the window.

Adrina mouths ‘Thank you’ as she is driven towards all that lies Beyond.

Marie does too.