"Honey... hon..honey... wake up, we have to go."Mrs. Edwin said quietly before covering her mouth with her shaky hands.
Stirring up from sleep, Rebecca stretched her body before turning around. Cleaning her eyes a little, she stared at her mom. "Mom, what time is it? Is it not..." Looking at her mum's face, Rebecca was taken aback. "Mom, are you okay? Why, why are you crying, Where's dad?" Rebecca questioned, sitting up and holding her mother's hands.
"It's... your... it is your grandma sweety, she passed away a few minutes ago. I just got a call from the hospital." Mrs. Edwin replied.
"Wait... what? Grandma? No, that must be a joke. We spoke just an hour ago...and...and she said she'll always be with me and all... I... she sounded so peaceful and happy. She can't be... No, no, ma! You need to call the hospital back. They must be mistaken. It isn't her. It must be someone else... it must be..." bursting into heavy tears, Rebecca held the bed, spread closer to her chest, and cried.
"I am so sorry, baby. But we have to go meet your dad. He is at the hospital with her. I'll be outside waiting for you. The plane leaves soon. We need to be at the airport." Mrs. Edwin said before walking out of her daughter's room.
Closing her eyes tightly and hugging herself, Rebecca stood up from the bed and got herself ready to meet her mother.
As she got to the sitting room, more tears filled her eyes as she saw the balloons and cardboard that were to be hung to welcome her grandma to their home.
Rushing out, she and her mother left in a taxi and were in time before the plane's departure.
Throughout the plane ride, Rebecca was quiet, and so was her mom. They weren't supposed to be here. Her dad, who was a pilot, had promised to bring his mom (Rebecca's grandma) home after she had gotten a bit sick and later recovered fully at the hospital. Her grandma was to stay with them fully, but now...
Tons of tears rolled down Rebecca's cheek like a dam let free, but it didn't fix the ache she felt deep in her heart. Only if she had known that would be the last call she and her Grandma would ever have, she would have stayed longer and said so much to her.
But, now, things were different as her grandma wasn't in her world anymore. Placing her left palm on her chest, Rebecca's body shook vigorously as the thunder rumbled, and the platter of rain filled up her ear drum. Closing her eyes deeply, Rebecca cried so hard as she imagined the happy face of her grandma staring at her.
Breathing heavily, she felt her chest tightened and then darkness took over.
The howling sound of the wind and the ocean hitting ashore woke Rebecca from her sleep. Raising up her body from the beach sand, she sat up while holding her head.
For a moment or two, she felt dizzy and really wanted to let out the content in her stomach, but the more she tried to, the more the dizziness intensified. Letting out a huge breath, she paused her actions and instead let the power of the wind and calming sound of the ocean fill her in and the more she breathed in the air in her surroundings, the more calmness washed over her.
It felt like she was born anew. The fatigue and sadness she once felt were all gone like they never existed. Though there was still a lingering ache in her heart, reminding her of the gem she just lost and...
"Where am I!" Rebecca exclaimed as she quickly stood up from the beach sand like she was bitten by a snake.
Taking a look at her surroundings, she was baffled and didn't understand how or when she left the plane and came around here.
"Mom? Where are you?" Rebecca called out, and the only answer she got back was the echo of her voice.
Startled by it, she held her head like a mother who couldn't believe what her newborn baby just did.
Letting out a huge sigh, she decided to walk around. "Maybe I am lost or.. the plane... Oh my God! Did the plane crash?" Rebecca questioned with a thumping heart.
Holding her chest tightly, she tried to breathe in and out calmly. After a minute or so, she stood with her arms akimbo and legs ajar like a pregnant woman in labor.
"Where do I go from here? Where do I..."
"Oh, Lord!" Rebecca gasped as she seized her ramblings. Running toward the object that caught her attention, Rebecca smiled as she remembered.
"I remember this place! How could I forget this tree." Rebecca smiled, hugging the tree that stood gallantly in its glory.
Staring behind the tree, Rebecca saw part of the home she was familiar with. Running toward the house, Rebecca swung open the door but stopped in her tracks. As if on cue, the thunder rumbled as platters of rain, and the smell of nature filled her nostril.
With her mouth opened agape, Rebecca saw a younger version of her grandma standing with arms wide open to welcome her.
Rebecca's heart felt heavy, and her feet, which seemed to be stuck and heavy, became light as she ran toward her grandma's younger version. Hugging her grandma tightly, Rebecca sniffed as her heart leapt for joy.
"Grandma, you are here. I knew you weren't dead. I knew it!" Rebecca said, hugging her grandma more.
Smiling deeply, her grandma kept a hand on Rebecca's shoulder to create a tiny distance between them. Looking at Rebecca's face, she kissed Rebecca's eyes lovingly before wiping away her tears.
"Come, let's sit." Rebecca's grandma said.
Following her grandma, Rebecca sat down with a smile.
"I am sorry I had to leave you like that. But it is my time, and I am happy I did leave after a late night talk with you. It was beautiful as usual." Clearing her throat, her grandma continued, "I am dead, but alive here in my younger self in this universe. I am not surprised you found your way here, especially after seeing that tree. Did you remember when we decorated it?" Her grandma questioned.
Nodding her head, Rebecca replied as a new set of tears filled her eyes at her grandma's words. She and her Grandma had decorated the tree on her first day here with her parents. It was the vacation home her grandpa owned, and her Grandma never sold it or lived in it unless it was summer. The tree was decorated because it was close to the wooden house. Her grandma had always said, "With the tree, home is never far away" and she's right.
"You are in a parallel universe. Everything you see here is also the same from where you come from, but the difference is that I am not there with you. I am here and happy with your grandpa. We are reliving our lives here, so just know I am at peace and don't be too sad about my death. Now, I want you to wake up from your sleep. Your parents miss you so much. You've been gone for too long." Her grandma said.
"But I just got here." Rebecca responded.
"I know, but in your universe, you've been gone for 6 days now. So, you have to wake up. Just remember that I am alive someplace and living a good life, so live life to the fullest too." Her grandma replied.
Running over to her grandma, Rebecca hugged her, and her grandma reciprocated with a warmer embrace. For a minute or two, the duos were silent, and Rebecca felt at peace before darkness overtook her once again.
