Elizabeth Harrison's Hope For A Better Tomorrow

1: Mourning For Mother's Death

Elizabeth stood in the corner as the mourners' sauntered in the garden area. The mumbling around and the indifferent gazes were making Elizabeth sick to her stomach. She needed to get away from everyone, so she excused herself into the house. She could feel the eyes on her as she walked away. The hushed atmosphere in the house-made her sigh. The state of quietude was composing enough, but still, the sick feeling within didn't budge. It has been a week since her mother committed suicide and since then Elizabeth has been trying to find peace, but even in ideal ambiance – she is still anxious. She takes her sunglasses off and walks to her room and closes the door behind. It has been a week since she cried. She saw her mother lying in a coffin – pale and insensate, but still she could shed a single tear. For the past week relatives and friends have been pouring their condolences to her – telling her how well her mother raised her and her brothers, mentioning how soon and tragically her mother passed, but still, she could cry. She wasn't bottling up her feelings – she wasn't concealing the pain of loss – she just couldn't cry – no matter how many times she thinks about her mother's death.

Ruby Harrison's death has been the 'talk of the week'. After David Simpson released a book about her family – she was labeled as the monster-in-law of the century, she has been called a negligent and greedy mother. The world found a new real-life villain. Ruby was already unwell and the sudden release of the book completely devastated her. Now that she committed suicide – everyone is talking about how tragically her life ended. Elizabeth doesn't know if she wants to cry or to laugh at the audacity of the gossipers – some of those are sadly Ruby's and her family's close friends and relatives.

She couldn't sleep either. There have been nights when she didn't even blink asleep – she just lay on the bed till the morning arrives. Maybe it is all because of a shortage of sleep that she is unable to cry. It might have caused her dry eyes. That's what Elizabeth has been doing for the last few days – she has been medically justifying her condition. Elizabeth pecked through the curtains and out of the window to see relatives and friends attending her mother's memorial service. She is certain that most of them don't even care. Some of them must be here for drama, while others are here to be noticed by the press waiting outside the house and some are here because their relationship with my mother obligated them to be there to remember her. Elizabeth was quietly watching them enjoying the drinks and the supper. Her eyes averted to her father, who was silently standing in the corner beside the tree her mother once planted. Silas was talking to their relative while Maria and Charlie made sure that the guests were being properly served.

She turned her head towards the closed door when she heard a knock. "Come in," She said and moved to the center of the room. The door opened and there stood her elder brother, Marcus. She offered him a small tight smile which he returned as he stepped inside before closing the door behind. He didn't speak – he just sat on the edge of the bed and let out a sigh. His slightly red eyes met his sister as he motioned her to sit beside him. "You have been crying," Elizabeth stated the obvious. Marcus sighed and rested his elbow on his knees as Elizabeth sat beside him, "She was our mother, Liza. It is okay to cry." He said. Elizabeth sniggered, "Don't get me wrong, Marcus. I am not crying – not because I am detaining my emotions, but because I simply can't." She shrugged.

Marcus nodded his head, "I know – I get that." He spoke. Elizabeth twisted her lips as she played with her fingers. Both of the siblings sat wordlessly. Elizabeth has never been too verbal with Marcus as she has been to Silas. Marcus has always been the elder responsible brother and she has been spoiled and carefree for most of her life. Even though, he is her half-brother – he never behaved like he wasn't one of us nor we made him feel until my mother played her evil cards. But, even after that Marcus has always been there for her. He was her support system. They never communicate much verbally, but so many times they have shown each other just how much they both love each other and their lack of interaction never diminished respect and love for him in her heart. She didn't have to vocalize her endearments to him. But, their relationship got dented after their mother made her and her family believe that he cheated on her wife with Maria, his brother's wife. Her mother made her hate the brother who has always been there for her selfish reasons. And that left hesitation between them and even after years they couldn't overcome it.