Post by Rémy nó Orchis on Feb 1, 2011 0:50:23 GMT -5
I felt a hand touch my shoulder as I knelt sobbing in front of a freshly-turned patch of earth in the back of the gardens. Alexandrine's voice, close to my ear, murmured, "You know he couldn't live forever, Rémy. He was sick, and you took care of him the best you could."
"But he was supposed to live for a long time!" I wailed, my eight-year-old self not understanding why the tiny bird couldn't live after I'd so carefully cared for it for the past two weeks. "He was supposed to get better and be my pet and sing to me and I was going to feed him worms and he would sit on my finger!"
Alexandrine squeezed my shoulder and let out a soft "oomph" as my little body fair knocked the wind out of her, and I wrapped my arms around her waist and cried hot, bitter tears onto the front of her dress.
"Rémy, why don't I have someone go down to the market to find you a small bird to have as your pet? You have taken remarkably responsible care of that bird and I think you deserve to be rewarded for it," Alexandrine offered kindly. "You don't have to answer now, as I know you are still very much hurt by your new little friend's swift departure from this existence, but take a few deep breaths and calm down a bit and, when you're ready to talk, come find me. All right?"
I nodded, still sniffling. "I'm... Sorry about your dress, Alexandrine," I said morosely, noticing my tear stains on it. I hoped she would be able to get them out. She smiled and shook her head.
"It is fine. See you soon, Rémy." She smiled and gracefully walked back into the House. I sat there for awhile, staring at the little patch of earth, and made a conscious decision to simply take it for what it was. I was Orchis, after all. Life handed us events and all we could do was work through them the best we could.
Wiping my eyes, I went off in search of Alexandrine to talk to her about a new bird.
"But he was supposed to live for a long time!" I wailed, my eight-year-old self not understanding why the tiny bird couldn't live after I'd so carefully cared for it for the past two weeks. "He was supposed to get better and be my pet and sing to me and I was going to feed him worms and he would sit on my finger!"
Alexandrine squeezed my shoulder and let out a soft "oomph" as my little body fair knocked the wind out of her, and I wrapped my arms around her waist and cried hot, bitter tears onto the front of her dress.
"Rémy, why don't I have someone go down to the market to find you a small bird to have as your pet? You have taken remarkably responsible care of that bird and I think you deserve to be rewarded for it," Alexandrine offered kindly. "You don't have to answer now, as I know you are still very much hurt by your new little friend's swift departure from this existence, but take a few deep breaths and calm down a bit and, when you're ready to talk, come find me. All right?"
I nodded, still sniffling. "I'm... Sorry about your dress, Alexandrine," I said morosely, noticing my tear stains on it. I hoped she would be able to get them out. She smiled and shook her head.
"It is fine. See you soon, Rémy." She smiled and gracefully walked back into the House. I sat there for awhile, staring at the little patch of earth, and made a conscious decision to simply take it for what it was. I was Orchis, after all. Life handed us events and all we could do was work through them the best we could.
Wiping my eyes, I went off in search of Alexandrine to talk to her about a new bird.