Neighbour

Life is so simple as kids. The sky could be falling and they can still play and laugh.

No such luck for me. My heart is heavy. I suppose I'm not good at concealing. Even OO noticed something was out of the ordinary.

Our neighbour is dying.

K is a sweet lady who adores the girls. She and her daughter are always eager to see them and like to chat with them. We look out for each other like good neighbours do. In fact, she is my first real neighbour with whom we have a connection.

When I heard her cancer returned with a vengeance, my heart sank.

Months passed and she is now probably spending her last days on earth. Her daughter texted me tonight: "The doctor says to take it hour by hour". So we scurried out the door to see her at the hospital.

We said hello. She glanced at us weakly through her drooping eyelids. I gave her hand a squeeze and said goodbye. I don't know whether I should think of it as the final one. I didn't want to.

On our way home the girls asked us many questions about sickness and death. We answered them the best we could. But the truth is, I am not sure I know how to cope with the subject of death myself...

Such heaviness.