Memories are forever... (sequel to Anna's Diary) - *THE END! (9.april)*

[xgreydovex]

aw this is truly a great story. keep it up.

[Theraven]

after a small break due to a bad cold, and that one of my best friends came for a vissit, and some schoolwork that is due to tuesday, this chapter was a bit later than I would've wished, but it's finally ready. so here it is:

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 5: Christmas Tears
--------------------------------------------------------------------

All her life, Angela had loved Christmas. Now, she hated it. They’d already celebrated one Christmas without their mother, and that was not fun at all. Then, it had only been five months from her death. Now it was one year and five months. Ian tried to be cheerful, but didn’t quite manage it. Angela saw him crying over the pots when he was making their Christmas dinner.



Now they sat in the living room, all dressed up – but everyone over four years old had a sober look, even though they all were trying to smile.
Liam didn’t fully grasp the atmosphere, and seemed somewhat cheerful. He loved getting presents, and would’ve thrown himself over them if Ian had let him.



Alice seemed torn between being happy and being sad.
She’d apparently made a present for their mother in kindergarten, and was sad that she couldn’t give it to her. Ian had promised her that they would visit the grave again the next day, so she could put what she’d made next to the lamp.



Angela had made a small angel at school, which she had already put on the grave. A smiling angel with red, curly hair.
“So… next is for Brian, from granny.” Ian handed him a small gift wrapped in silver paper.



He unwrapped it. “A book from my favourite series! Remind me to thank her the next time I see her, Dad.”
 “I will. So…. the last one is…. for Liam, from me.”
Liam threw himself over the gift, and ripped off the paper. “Tigger!” he exclaimed, before he hugged the Tigger toy tight, and started playing with it.
 


 “And… well, it doesn’t look like there’s anymore. Anyone up for dessert?”

[Theraven]

They went to the table, and he sat a large cake made of ice cream in front of them. The others threw themselves over it. Angela didn’t really feel like eating. To be honest with herself, she felt a bit sick. How she had wished her mother was there now – sharing joy, sharing gifts. Celebrate life, really. Or just be happy together.
“Angela… aren’t you hungry?” Ian said worried.



“Not really, no. I probably ate too much of the other food.”
“You should try this cake, Angela. It’s really good!” Brian ate like he had not seen food in a long time.



“You hardly ate anything at all for dinner. Are you sick?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t think so.”
Ian felt her forehead. “You’re not warm, at least.” For some reason, he looked very relieved.
“I’m just not hungry, that’s all.” She got up, and left the table. Tears were threatening again.



When she got to her room, she couldn’t hold them in anymore. She threw herself on the bed – but landed on something hard. Curious, she stuck her hand under the pillow. A small wrapped gift lay there.
She blinked away the tears. Why was there a gift under her pillow? She took it up, and turned it around carefully.



No, there were no notes of any kind. Strange… she was about to put it on her night table, when she noticed a paper stuck into the wrapping on the side. She took it out. Here and there, some of the text was a bit blurry for some reason, but she could still grasp the meaning.



A tear made a wet spot on the paper, making the word “bring” go a bit more blurry. She understood the ps. She also understood that some of the blurry spots had formed on the paper when her father had read it. She swallowed.



Keep the good memories in your heart and try not to think of the bad ones. She had done the exact opposite, she knew. The good memories of her mother had been overshadowed by the bad ones. Memories of her mother reading for her, singing songs for her, hugging her – all of those had been drowned by memories of her mother looking ill, her mother lying in a hospital bed, and her mother being too sick to even notice they had visited her. Even worse – the funeral had been the worst memory of them all. She remembered that day. She had barely been able to sing, but she had felt that she had to do it – for her mother, more than for herself. She remembered her mother telling her that she loved Angela’s voice. Angela had several times sung songs when they had visited her at the hospital. It had always made her mother smile.
Angela dried her eyes, and carefully opened the gift. Inside was a small red book.
She stared at the front cover for a long time. This was her mother’s inner thoughts. Did she dare open it?
--------------------------------------------------------------------

and that's the end of chapter 5

[othstarlet]

loved it... it was sooo sad... can't wait for more!

[Pierre]

I wonder what Chapter 6 will bring i just have to wait and see. Great chapter

[Astral Faery]

Of course she has to open it!  

Beautiful update.  You so greatly capture the heartache and pain of this family, struggling to live a normal life but not being able to.  It really rips my heart out  - which is good, because that means you're doing your job as a writer correctly.  Great job!

[KatrinaandTiff]

Hey hey!Nobody misses me?What a shame!
P.S Wonderful story too!


Another week till I'll be back. But the week after I will be at home. So don't expect anything from me in 2 weeks. But next week you should be able to hear me.

[Theraven]

I'm glad you like the story! it's so nice to know that someone reads and likes my stories.

[ryannrules86]

more!

[Theraven]

chapter 6 will probably be out this week, I guess. the pics are almost finished. I finally have my easter holiday (three days early), so now it's simming from morning to night

[Theraven]

Here's the next chapter. I hope you like it!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 6: a gift of memories
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, she thought. Her mother had meant for her to have it. She carefully opened up to the front page. Inside, a little note was fastened with a paper clip.



Angela held the piece of paper against her chest. She couldn’t hold back the tears. But now they were tears of happiness. She smiled for real for the first time since… since… she couldn’t remember. She put aside the note, and carefully opened the first side of the book.
 


There, on the top of the page, was a wedding photo of her parents. She smiled. They looked so happy together. She realised that every time she had seen them together, they had always been happy.
 


Under the pictures, her mother had also written comments that reflected the pictures. Angela just had to smile when she saw the one beside the wedding photo.
The next picture was of two proud parents holding a newborn baby between them.
Angela realized it had to be her, since she could see some red hair on the top of the baby’s head.
 


The next picture was of the same little baby, smiling up at the photographer. There was also a text beside this one.
 


The next was a picture of a little red-haired girl smiled back at her – herself that too, she realized. She had food sprayed all over her face, and had apparently tried emptying the food bowl over her head. Angela couldn’t hold back the smile that was threatening. She looked hilarious!

[Theraven]

In the next picture, Brian was also there, throwing a fit in Anna’s arms, while they apparently were trying to take a family photo. Angela almost started to laugh out loud.
 


The next was of a three year old Angela with wide open eyes, looking like she had gotten the biggest shock of her life.



For some reason, Angela vaguely remembered that day. She had thought that it was some kind of play-date, and had been really shocked to hear that her mother was starting to work again, and that she had to be in day care. Not that she hadn’t liked it – but she wanted much more to be at home with her mother. She smiled at the memory, and looked at the next picture, which was of her and Brian playing in the sandbox together with their mother. They looked so happy together. Anna had always loved playing with them, and had learned them to love music.



She’d once told Angela that she had played the violin when she’d been younger. It had always been Anna’s favourite instrument – until she had heard Angela playing the piano for the first time. According to Anna, Angela had been a nature talent in playing the piano. Much thanks to her mother, Angela thought.

The next picture was of her, four years old on a three-wheel bike, with Brian running after her. He had wanted a bike too, after Angela had gotten one for her fourth birthday. He had run after her every time she used it, begging, and also crying, to be allowed to use it. In the end, he had tried to push her off it. She read the comment under the picture.



She couldn’t stop the laughter this time. It was like someone had just turned on a button inside her – one that had been off since her mother had died. The one that let her be happy.
Still giggling, she looked at the next picture. It was from her first day at school.


 
She remembered that day. She had almost peed on herself because she was so afraid. Her mother had comforted her, and had said that many children felt it that way. That they were so nervous they didn’t know what to do with themselves. “I know how it is. I meet new students every year, and I feel like that every time,” her mother had said.
 


“You do?” Angela had been really shocked to hear that. Anna was a teacher at a different school than the one Angela and Brian went to.
“Just try think about the good things. Think about getting new friends, about learning new things. It’s not as scary as you think. I bet that your new teacher is more nervous than half her new class together.”
 


Her mother had been right. Her teacher had seemed a bit nervous. But in the end, Angela found out that it hadn’t been as bad as she first had thought it would be. It had actually been fun. She smiled, and turned the page.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
so, what do you think?

[Pierre]

Great Keep up the Good work. and looking forward in reading chapter 7.

[xgreydovex]

more! NOW!!!
or as soon as you can lmao

[ryannrules86]

I love this story!