许氏勉强被劝住。
不过,过了一夜,许氏做了个噩梦,梦见女儿满身是血,站在那儿凄厉的问她,为什么不去救她,为什么!
许氏wakesupwithastart,herheartracingandsweatdrippingdownherforehead.Shetriestoshakeoffthefeelingofuneasethathassettledinthepitofherstomach,tellingherselfitwasjustabaddream.Butassheliesthere,shecan‘thelpbutthinkaboutherdaughter,Emily,andtheworrythathasbeengnawingatherforweeks.
Emily‘saccidenthadbeenablurofchaosandconfusion,withdoctorsandnursesrushingtosaveherlife.Butintheend,itwastoolate.Thenewsofherdaughter‘spassinghadbeenlikeapunchtothegut,leaving许氏reelingandunabletocatchherbreath.
Shetriestopushthethoughtsaway,tellingherselfsheneedstofocusonthepresent.Shehasabusinesstorun,afterall,andcan‘tletherpersonalfeelingsgetintheway.Butit‘shardtoshakeoffthefeelingofguiltthathasbeenweighingherdownsinceEmily‘spassing.
许氏throwsoffthecoversandgetsoutofbed,determinedtofacethedayhead-on.Shemakesherwaytothekitchen,whereshepoursherselfacupofcoffeeandsitsdownatthetable.Asshesipshercoffee,shecan‘thelpbutthinkaboutherdaughter,wonderingwhatcouldhavebeendonedifferentlyifonlyshehadmoretime.
Shestartstogothroughsomepapersonherdesk,tryingtofocusonthebusinessathand.Butasshescansthedocuments,hermindkeepswanderingbacktoEmily.Shethinksaboutallthethingsshewantedtodowithherdaughter,allthememoriestheywouldhavemadetogetherifonlyshehadmoretime.
许氏sighs,feelingasenseofdesperationwashoverher.Sheknowsshecan‘tbringEmilyback,butshecan‘thelpbutfeellikeapartofherhasbeenrippedaway.Shefeelslostandalone,likeshe‘swanderingthroughadarkforestwithoutamaporcompass.
Asshesitsthere,tryingtogatherherthoughts,shehearsaknockatthedoor.It‘shersister,Mei,whohascomeovertocheckinonher.许氏forcesasmileontoherface,tryingtohidethepainthatisstillsorawinsideher.
“Hey,sis,“Meisays,noticingthelookofsadnesson许氏‘face.“What‘sgoingon?Youseemreallydowntoday.“
许氏shrugs,notwantingtoburdenMeiwithherfeelings.ButMeicanseerightthroughher,andsheknowsthatsomethingiswrong.
“IjustmissEmilysomuch,“许氏admits,hervoicebarelyaboveawhisper.
Meinods,understandinginhereyes.“Iknow,sis.Idotoo.We‘regoingtogetthroughthistogether,okay?We‘llfindawaytohonorEmily‘smemoryandmakesureshe‘snotforgotten.“
许氏smilesslightly,feelingasenseofcomfortatMei‘swords.Sheknowsthathersisterisright,andthattogether,theycanfacewhatevercomesnext.
Asthedaygoeson,许氏triestofocusonthebusiness,buthermindkeepswanderingbacktoEmily.Shethinksaboutallthethingsshewantstodowithherdaughter,allthememoriestheywouldhavemadetogetherifonlyshehadmoretime.
Sheknowsit‘snotgoingtobeeasy,butshe‘sdeterminedtomakesureEmily‘smemoryliveson.Shestartstobrainstormideas,thinkingabouthowshecanhonorherdaughter‘slegacyandkeepherspiritalive.
Asthesunbeginstoset,许氏looksupatMei,whoissittingacrossfromherwithacupofteainhand.
“WhatdoyousaywestartafoundationinEmily‘sname?“Meisuggests,hereyesshiningwithexcitement.“Wecoulddonatemoneytocharitiesthathelpkidsinneed,andraiseawarenessfororgandonation.Thatway,wecankeephermemoryaliveandmakesureshe‘snotforgotten.“
许氏nods,feelingasenseofhopewashoverher.Sheknowsitwon‘tbeeasy,butshe‘swillingtotryanythingtokeepEmily‘smemoryalive.
“Let‘sdoit,“许氏says,smilingslightly.“We‘llmakeithappen,sis.We‘llhonorEmily‘smemoryandmakesureshe‘snotforgotten.“