By Martha Melendez

As Andrea woke up from the stupor caused by pain medication, she thought of her curious daughter, Sabrina.  She was relentless in asking her for stories, which she reluctantly did for she was so tired. 

It was a shame really that she had been a recognized writer, yet took care never to complain.  Sabrina was an insightful kid who understood that these stories made her mom feel better.  

This is a dear story from Andrea that Sabrina remembered with love and tranquility.

  • “There was once a little caterpillar which had lots of questions”, started mom.  
  • Mama, “What are those beautiful colors?”  
  • And the mama caterpillar said, “Those are the colors of nature.”  For she was a wise one.  
  • “Mama, why is the sky blue?”  
  • “Because it holds tiny drops of the ocean.”  
  • “And are the clouds really the color peach”? – She asked as she learnt the names of new colors one by one.  
  • Her mom said, “Perhaps, because they are made of pearls; they also could be white, cream or even gray.”  
  • “And why are the leaves multi-color?”  
  • Because they are made of sunlight and water and goodness.  
  • “What about the flowers, mama? “
  • What about them, my little one?”
  • Why are they so proud?”  
  • Because they have all the colors of the rainbow.  
  • “And see the particles of soil?  It looks only brown.”
  • “They have grains of color, too!  Red, maroon, yellow”.  
  • “Someday, the mama caterperpillar said, a dear kid will talk about us and our world so that others know a little bit more about the wonders of life”.  
  • “And mama, why…?”  
  • “That’s enough for today, little one.  Tomorrow is a new day.  But today and tomorrow and the days after, I can tell you that you are lovely”.

Sabrina’s nanny came into the room and told her to let her mom rest.  Sabrina had to have the last word and said in awe, “Mama, you are so beautiful!”  Her mom smiled at such kindness and said, “Good night, little one!”  Sabrina looked back before she reached the doctor and said, “Remember to take all of your medicine” and hid her worry.

Tomorrow would be a new day, the day when Andrea disappeared, the day when Sabrina would look through the window at the garden.  She remembered the illusions of nature and found solace in memories.  Perhaps she would write a story about fairies.  Her mom would like that.