Dawn Wolf

Prologue

Alexis POV

I stared up into my grandmothers green eyes. I inherited my green eyes from her. Her eyes were always bright and happy. But today, they were dull and lifeless. My grandmother was dying and she wanted to speak to me one last time. Tears welled up in my eyes and started spilling down my cheeks.

"Don't cry, il mio piccolo (my little one)" She reached down to where I was crouched on my knees. She brushed her thumb gently across my cheek, wiping away all my tears. "I will be going to a posto migliore (better place)" I sobbed silently, looking up to my role model. My grandmother was there for me and my mum when my dad passed, just like we were there for her when grandad passed. To see her now on her death bed frightened me. She was such a strong pillar in my life.

"Grandma, why do you have to leave?" I sobbed. She smiled down at me and said, "perché è il mio tempo (because it is my time)" I hugged her tightly and she kissed my hair. "Listen, il mio piccolo (my little one). You are bella dentro e fuori (beautiful inside and out) people love you because you are compassionate, kind, caring, thoughtful, beautiful" She said tapping my chin. "Everybody loves you because you possess such bella (beautiful) qualities" She smiled at me.

"Now, il mio piccolo (my little one). I will leave you with some advice. Don't let anyone bring you down, they only do that to make themselves feel superior, to know that they can bring down other people just because. Don't let them, il mio piccolo (my little one). They are not worth your tears or your time, okay?" I nodded tears pouring down my cheeks. "Remember piccolo (little one). Il primo a chiedere scusa è il più coraggioso. Il primo a perdonare è il più forte. E la prima a dimenticare è il più felice. (The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. And the first to forget is the happiest)" I nodded.

"Piccolo (little one) you must go. I do not want you to see me when I pass. You must leave now but know that Sarò sempre guardando in basso a voi dal cielo sopra (I will always be looking down at you from the sky above)" I smiled at her and stood up. She helped me up and patted me on the head. "Go now, piccolo (little one)" I hugged her tightly and she kissed my forehead. "Rimanere forte, piccolo, rimanere forte (stay strong, little one, stay strong)" I turned and walked from the room. I couldn't bare the image of my grandmother dead.

I walked out of the hospital towards my car. I sat in the drivers seat crying. I lost another family member. First my grandfather, them my own father, now my grandmother. It seems everyone is leaving in some way or another. I drove home that night thinking about my poor old Italian grandmother. She was beautiful in so many ways. But I knew that she was happy, wherever she was. I knew I had to let her go in order to move on but keep her in my heart. I knew she would still be there when I needed her.