It was late at night, when Gloria finally arrived to her childhood home. As every time she went back, the changes in the town surprised her. It was growing fast, and things were different. Everything but her parents' house. Only a faint light coming out of her mother's bedroom could be seen. Her mother had moved into Gloria's bedroom after her father's death, she said she didn't need such a big room, but the truth was that everything reminded her of him.
Gloria payed the taxi driver and took the keys out of her purse. After all those years, she still carried a copy of the keys of her parents house on her. As she unlocked the front door, her mother called feebly for her.
-Gloria, is that you?
-Yes, mom, I'm coming straight away. Don't move.
Gloria climbed the dark stairs and headed to her old bedroom. Before entering the room, she looked at her mother. She had always been thin, but she was skeletal, her bones showing through her skin. Her hair was brittle, her eyes had lost their spark. Gloria took a deep breath and entered.
-Mom, it's me, Gloria.- she said as she accommodated on a chair next to the bed.
-Gloria,...- she was breathing with difficulty.
-Yes, mom. It's okay.
-I'm dying.
Gloria didn't say anything, she just took her hand and squeezed it. Her mother tried to speak again.
-Shhh! Mom, you're only making yourself more tired. We will speak tomorrow.
-There will be no tomorrow.- she managed to mutter.
Gloria wanted to deny it, but, deep inside, she knew it was true. Her mother spoke again.
-There's a letter in your father's study, downstairs. It's on his desk, on the first drawer. He wrote it to you just before he died. Go and read it, I'll be waiting.
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