Fiction: In His Heart (Part 3)

“Is there anyone at school that you don’t like, and you don’t like them being around you?” She asked him.

“Yea! Brian. I don’t like him. He’s a bully.” He sat up, resting his chin on his palms. The conversation was becoming more interesting.

“If you are kept in the same room with Brian all day, would you enjoy his presence? Would you feel close to him?”

“No!” He shrugged. “I don’t like thinking about him.”

“So, you see, we feel closer to people, not because of their physical presence, but because of their presence in our heart.”

There was the quizzical look on his face. He needed more clarity. So she continued.

“The way to always have people close to us is to keep them in our heart. When we keep someone in our heart, no matter where they go, we will still feel close to them as though they are there with us. That is all you need to do to keep me close to you every time, even when I’m not there.”

“But how do I keep someone in my heart?” he asked, a little disappointed that he didn’t know how.

“By loving them.”

“But I love you, mum.”

“Yes, I know, and I love you too, sweetheart. And that is how it starts. Love the person very much and always think about them. When they are there with you, always appreciate their presence and enjoy the moments. And when they are not there, remember all the good times you shared with them and let it make you happy. In that way, you will feel them very close to you.”

“Hmmm...” He was baffled by the new knowledge.

“You can keep something around you that will always remind you of them, and when you look at it, you smile as though you are smiling directly at them.”

“Mum, thank you for teaching me this. I’m keeping you in my heart. I’ll never let you be away. Forever.”

“And you are always in mummy’s heart. You’ve been there from the time you were conceived. You see, that’s why mummy is not afraid to drop you off at school. Because even when you are there, you are still in her heart and she feels very close to you.”

“I love you, mum.” Hope has been restored.

“I love you, too.” She stood up. “Hmmm... just a minute.”

She rushed into her room and when she returned, she had some things in her hands. She sat down on the bed and dropped them on his covered legs.

She took the trinket box, opened it and pulled out a small gold necklace.

“It’s pure gold. It was given to me by my mum.”

She took it close to his head. He bended to allow her wear him the necklace.

“It’s beautiful on you.” She smiled. The tension was long gone.

He felt it on his neck. “Thank you, mum. I love it.”

Next, she gave him a small passport-size picture.

He took it from her, looked at it for a while. When he dropped it by the side of his pillow, he looked at her face and said, “Mummy, you are so beautiful.”

“Thank you. Now, when I’m not there, and you think of me, look at those things, remember the good times we had playing together, and when you feel happy in your heart then you know I’m right there in your heart, close to you as always, and there’s no need to be afraid.”

“Thank you, mum. I’ll always keep you in my heart. I promise.”

She bent down to kiss him again. “So, now we can go to bed.”

He stretched back on his bed and she covered him up. She turned off the light and stood to leave. The tears resumed their flow as she walked out of his, into her room. She lay on the bed and slept off almost immediately. It was Monday night.