|
The musty smell of dust and old furnishings were quite unbearable.
I walked inside.
As far as I can see,
these antiques were passed down from generation to generation.
I walked past the antiques,
and opened a trunk at the farthest end.
As my fingers latched open the trunk,
dust flew out.
Inside, was a beautiful musical box.
Melissa's musical box.
I opened the box,
to find a small ballerina with her arms up gracefully.
I turned the holder and the music started up.
Swan Lake.
Melissa's favourite song.
The ballerina turned automatically as the music played.
I set aside the musical box and rummaged through the trunk again.
As I reached something, my eyes welled up.
It was the dancer's shoes.
Melissa's shoes.
I remembered she loved to dance.
In these shoes, she danced like the angels in heaven.
I had been the one to hold out to her when she was young,
guiding her hands as se danced with clumsy baby footwork.
We'd grow tired and flop down on the grass.
I would laugh and she would laugh too.
As the past caught up with me in the present,
I felt the tears trickling down my cheeks.
"You have kept your tears from flowing down in the past,
Now you must accomplish it.
Or else you will never let go of the past."
A whisper said to me.
I looked around,
no one.
But I didn't care.
I gently caressed Melissa's dancing shoes.
They were the first pair I bought her.
She was delighted,
and swung her arms on my neck.
"Thank you, Mummy!"
I had enjoyed every bit of Melissa in my life.
I longed for her to pull my arms up from the chair,
and lead me into dancing around the kitchen again.
But I doubt that would happen again.
I looked down at the shoes again.
It was a beautiful pink, with pink laces.
Melissa loved pink.
I smiled through my tears as I remembered the wonderful times I had with her.
Swan Lake was still playing, the ballerina was still twirling.
Melissa had been so relaxed when she danced.
I went to all of her perfomances.
I saw her dancing, Swan Lake,
two days before it happened.
Melissa's last performance.
Was her best.
As the music stopped,
I gathered the things and placed them back into the trunk.
I walked down the stairs.
In the middle,
I heard a small voice,
with the most happy tone ever.
Melissa's voice.
She had whispered a soft,
"Thank you Mummy."
After that, I heard a trail of giggling.
It faded away as I reached the bottom of the stairway.
Darling little Melissa,
let her dance away happily.
I can almost imagine
her dancing up with her friends in heaven right now... |
| Views: 12
