MourningShe could not get close to her because her knees had become so weak that she dropped to the floor. She was still in the doorway, kneeling, her hands clutching her chest. The pain she felt was so heavy that she thought she would suffocate to death.It felt as though the time stood still.Everything stopped. Her world stopped turning. Flashes of her moments with her mother played in her head.“No! No!” She screamed, crawling to where her mother was. Her face was wet with tears, her cries were full of pain.When she finally reached her mother, Elinor could not take to look at her pale face. She shut her eyes and tightly embraced her mother in her arms. She wanted to scream in pain but there was no sound escaping her mouth as if she had gone mute, or her voice had been taken from her. The veins in her neck looked like it was about to pop from screaming in silence.What is she supposed to do with her life now that her mother is gone?Things are never going to be the same again and

A Move to the EstateIt’s been a week. Elinor heaved a long sigh as she stood in the middle of her mother’s bedroom wearing a light blue cardigan that her mother had knitted for her sixteenth birthday.She hugged herself as her eyes scanned the room. Bonnie helped her clean it yesterday. It doesn’t change much. It still looked like how it used to be before, only that she would no longer see her mother pace around the room, or see her hunched over her desk where she used to knit.There is no warmth in it. The warmth of her mother that she longed to feel so much so it hurts.She figured that if she is to stay in this cabin by herself, she will live her life forever stuck. Her days would always be gloomy and unproductive because of the sudden death of her mother.It took her a week before she finally came up to Colin one afternoon and spoke for the first time in a couple of days.“I have made up my mind,” she said.Colin put down the paper or what seemed to be like a map that he’d been r

The SurpriseSitting across Colin, Elinor thought to herself how this is the first time she gets to watch him this close and study his face as his hands were busily polishing a topaz.Earlier, when he told her about any of his plans today, she looked forward to seeing jewels again and not having the freedom to stare at his pretty face.But for the love of all the holy beings, this man right in front of her is a pleasant sight to see that she cannot take her eyes off his serious face.His thick dark brows twitched, his lips parting with concentration, and the few dark locks dropped on his forehead. Not to mention the light escaping from the red curtains hit a portion of his face where his scar is.Elinor does not understand it, really. How can someone insult him just by this one scar he has on his cheek?The rumors, Bonnie had told her while they were out in the lake. The story goes that some woman he liked by then regarded his face as unattractive, and the worst part of it all, Colin

ExpectationsThe days in the household were unbelievably fast. Well maybe because she always finds a way to keep her mind and body occupied.Some other day, she helped one of Colin’s cousins in the garden. She spotted her carrying two huge baskets.She walked up to her asking if she can lend her a hand, which the young lady accepted with delight.“You don’t have to Elinor but since you offered help, I’ll accept it.” The young lady gladly said, handing one basket to her.“May I know your name?” Elinor asked, scratching her neck.“I’m Mauve. And I may look young, but I am about the same age as Colin.”Perhaps it’s because of the lady’s height that made Elinor thinks this lady in front of her is younger than her.They set out to the garden. The sun was not too bright because of the clouds and the tall pine trees that provided them shade. Winds blow their hair and dress as they go against it.Indeed, it’s a great day to pick fruits.They traveled not too far but passed the daisies and lav

The TruthElinor stared at the dusty old page of a book. In it was a painting of a woman she now knows as Esmeralda.“I found it in the very old section of books inside a public library.”Her fingertips traced down the woman’s floating hair. The paper was crisp and thin because of the times it endured to survive inside that library.A light press on the paper and she is certain the whole thing would dismantle.Max secured the page with a stand and clear cover so that its pages will not be blown by the wind. It looked so fragile that may have been the reason why Max decides to paint the woman on his canvas just in case the whole book would break into smaller pieces.“I was just looking at the section when I saw this. The book was already opened for anyone to see. That’s how my eyes caught her,” Max said.“I dreamt of her,” she said.Max’s eyes widened with shock.“Are you certain?” He asked.But Elinor had never been more certain in her life. This is the woman. The one who changed the