Crystalline Heart

Chapter Six: Alternate Realities

"Hey, wake up, Sweetheart."

That voice... why was it so... so... familiar...?

Hope opened her eyes to see a very tired face that very much resembled hers... or rather, a face hers resembled. She wasn't thinking straight... who was this skeleton-woman?

"Mama, why'd you wake me up?" Wait... was that... her?! That was her voice, only pitched at one of a four-year-old... and the way she'd addressed the woman... was that her mom?

"I just wanted to talk to you, Sweetheart. I can't sleep, and I may or may not have to go in for another surgery soon." She looked exhausted, and crystals were embedded in several places in her bones.

"Oh." Tiny Hope sat up on her mother's lap to see her more clearly. "When will that be, Mama?"

"I don't know, but I don't care. I love spending time with my baby girl anyway."

"I'm not a baby!"

"But you're my baby, Sweetie." Her mother planted a quick kiss on her foreskull.

Young Hope opened her mouth to protest, but stopped. She felt sort of... dizzy, maybe sick. Sluggish. Her head and chest throbbed with a dull ache. In the memory, Hope felt like she knew what the problem was.

"Mama, why does the room feel like it's spinning...?"

Instantly, her mother's face contorted into an expression of concern. "Are you starting to hurt again? Do you need anything?"

"It hurts a little bit, but... I'm ok!" Hope was surprised at how lighthearted her voice was. Despite feeling poorly, she sounded... she sounded happy.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Your stomach doesn't hurt at all?"

"No, Mama," she huffed.

A sly smile spread across her mother's face. "Maybe I should check." She gently dug her fingers into Hope's sides, making her double over and nearly squeal with laughter. She tried to squirm away, but her efforts were fruitless.

After a minute, Hope was allowed a breath, and she sat up, panting. When she looked up, her mother's eyes carried a sort of masked sadness, as if she was trying to hide it but couldn't. As if she deeply regretted something. Despite her own concern, young Hope didn't ask.

They sat in silence for a few moments, just lying there. Howpe could feel her nonexistent eyelids start to droop tiredly. She got to thinking to keep herself awake. Usually, when her mom got discharged from the hospital, she'd be doing really well and they would go somewhere. Sometimes it was the beach. Others, it was some small underrated ice-cream parlor. And sometimes, they'd go on a walk in the park and look at whatever wildlife who dared to show themselves. Mostly, it was just her and her mom, but sometimes her father would join.

"Mama?"

"Yes, Sweetheart?"

"Where are we going next? And is Dad coming this time?"

Her mother sighed and cupped Hope's cheek in one hand. "I don't believe we're going on any adventure anytime soon, honey. I'm sorry, but I'm just not feeling well."

"No, no!" Young Hope had concluded her mother was talking about the next week or so. "I mean, whenever you come home."

Her mom opened her mouth to respond, shut it, and gave her a sad sort of smile. She was thinking. Finally, she said, "You know, I want both of us to see if we could go to the zoo. We haven't done that yet, and I remember perfectly well how badly you've wanted to go."