Can Love Protect Us? [Ongoing]

Prologue

September 2005
Paris, France Cemetery

It was autumn, the time of a great fall. Western winds blew strong, swaying the sycamore trees in sheer defeat as the ground turned into a riot of colour. The air smelled of fresh cement and gravel, a mix of nothing sweet but bitter. The ambiance of the season is perfect for grieving at a beloved that passed away.

“Papa,” Hayley uttered, staring at her dad’s grave as tears flooded her eyes. She was sitting on the grass, ignoring the itch on her skin. She had been in that position for hours now and she has no plans of leaving. Her heart is drowning in sorrow; denial tries to feed on her mind. There’s nothing more painful than losing a father who raised her as a solo parent for two years.

“Drew, mon cher. I think it’s time to go,” a woman named Tae Hee said from behind. Her curly, brown hair stuck out from her fedora and she was beautiful in a black dress; only that dark circles lined under her eyes. She had been shedding tears of sorrow since Lucio died.

“Hayley Drew,” Tae Hee repeated when her 9-year old daughter didn’t respond. She crouched down on the ground and held her shoulders but Hayley pushed her away.

“Maman,” Hayley uttered in a cracked voice, not pealing her eyes off her dad’s grave. “How much do you love papa?”

Tae Hee took a deep breath before finding her voice. “So much; more than anything in this world.”

“Why did you divorce?”

“Because –“ Tae Hee trailed off as she doesn't know what to say. A tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it using the back of her palms so Hayley can't see it. The pain of losing her husband is unbearable and Hayley asking her about the mistake she did caused her guilt to resurface. She was about to speak when her daughter turned to look at her and asked, “Maman, how do you know that a person loves you?”

A smile emerged in Tae Hee’s tear-streaked face this time. An innocent question from a lily-white, young girl. She patted her daughter’s head and caressed her hair. She gazed at her green eyes and said, “Your papa set his eyes on me like no man can ever do. He never looked at other girls the way he looked at me. It was true love.”

“Then?”

“A person truly loves you when he looks at you – ONLY YOU.”

**

Mon cher – French – my dear
Papa, Maman – French – dad, mom

Thank you for reading the Prologue pixies!
What you think of Hayley? Isn't she adorable?

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