A butterfly flew by Celeste. She wheeled her IV bag on the concrete sidewalk walking slowly to keep Cecilia by her side. Bluebonnets and Bur oaks sat on both sides of them like soldiers saluting their general before a battle.  

“So… it’s been a while.” Celeste looked down at her wheelchair-bound sister.  

“Yeah, I missed you. How come you stopped visiting?” 

“I’m sorry Cecilia I- I don’t know.” Celeste sat thinking about the multitude of excuses she could produce to tell her none even relating to the pain she felt seeing Cecilia struggle.  

“Oh.” Cecilia sat looking distraught. 

“I’m sorry. I’m glad I get to see you now though.” 

“Me too.”  

They continued walking. Nurse Holly had been kind enough to push Cecilia’s wheelchair for her so she could stroll. 

“So, what are you in here for?” 

“What do you mean?” Celeste knew exactly what she meant but stalling was her only option. 

“What are those scars? Are they why you’re here?” 

“Oh…” Celeste touched them almost questioning how they got there and how long they would be staying. “I got attacked, by a tiger who scratched me up and I had to come here. I won though.” 

“Wow really?!” Cecilia’s eyes widened, revealing her curiosity. Stories had always been her favorite. 

“Really. I had to hold him down before the zookeepers came. They gave me a metal!”  

“That’s so cool! Can I see it later?” 

“Oh, I wasn’t allowed to bring it since I’m only staying for a couple of weeks, but I can show you it once you come home.”
Holly looked at Celeste questioning her comment. 

“Okay!” Both sisters knew Cecilia would not make it home, but nothing kept them from lying to each other. Their smiles were worth it though, so Holly kept silent.  

The sun started setting behind the parking lot of cars. Patients started leaving with their families making plans for dinner. Holly turned Cecilia’s wheelchair around heading back to the hospital doors, but Celeste sat staring at her sister’s reality. Golden rays reflected off her eyes looking like emeralds. She picked a bluebonnet as she headed through the double doors feeling the cold rush of air on her bare skin. It almost stung when it hit her scars. She held them as if they would disappear once she removed her hands. The IV needle sticking out of her arm disgusted her. Surprisingly, she was not very fond of needles.  

She walked slowly holding onto the bar that held the bag of medications being pumped through her body. Step by step rural Texas seemed to become a dream she wished to live in again. Her farm, her animals, her family, her sister, her life. It was so close she could almost touch it. Instead of warm sunshine and green grass, she was surrounded by a cold hospital floor and bland beige walls like a prison. Encapsulating her in the reality of what she had done, or at least tried to do. Sanitation filled her nose as if someone were trying to cleanse her of the memory. She returned to her room and collapsed on the bed. The walks were hard to handle but Celeste was healthy so she would have a full recovery. The doctors reiterated to her daily how thankful they were for that fact. If she were not healthy there was no way she would still be here.  

Celeste sighed thinking about all the things she could be doing as a seventeen-year-old on a Friday night. If only they had not discovered her body, she could have died in peace without the constant nagging of her brain’s what-ifs. Early September and she could not even make it through one football game. No bother though, she had other things to be worrying about like her next psych appointment. Dr. Scholtz was a warm person. She always offered hot chocolate to all her patients. She normally had her brown hair pulled back in a low messy bun and dressed in fall browns, reds, and greens. Her hazel eyes matched her outfits as well as the scenery around September. Her sessions were hard though. Celeste often opted not to go but her excuses were no use.  

A knock on the door awoke her from her overthinking. “Come in.” She said in a painfully bored voice. 

“Hey girly, you ready to see Dr. Scholtz?” 

“Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.” Celeste slipped on a pair of fuzzy green socks and soft pink slippers. The blue clock in her room ticked at her as if it taunted her. Tick tick tick… tsk tsk tsk. She glared, her emerald eyes telling it to shut up. She ignored its short-lived attempts to anger her and opened the heavy brown door to see Holly’s face.  

“You ready?” 

“Yeah” 

They walked down the long hall and headed for the big, metal double doors. Holly tried to converse, but all her questions or remarks were answered with one word or a simple shrug. Celeste’s short black hair fell just below her shoulders and swayed ever so slightly as they walked in silence.  

“Good evening, Celeste.” Dr. Sholtz’s warm smile greeted her at the door. Celeste walked in seeing her comfy white couch with brown pillows and walked straight for it. 

“Hello.” She said sitting down. “Why did you call me in? I’m not supposed to see you until tomorrow morning.” 

Suddenly the door opened again, and Celeste’s tall blonde mother walked in looking straight at her daughter. 

“Mom?” Celeste looked shocked; she hadn’t seen her mom since her ambulance ride.  

“Celeste” Her mother sighed the words, her eyes tearing up.  

Before Celeste could ask why she was here her mom wrapped her in a tight hug. Celeste could feel her mother tremble.  

“I love you so much, baby girl.” Celeste could feel her quick gasps for air in between tears.  

“I want you here please don’t leave me.” Her mom sat down next to her still holding on to her tightly as if there was some part of her that was still scared of going back to the night when she almost lost her. “I’m here mom. I’m right here.” Celeste slowly wrapped her arms around her mother in a loose hold. When they separated Celeste could see the tears streaming down her mother’s face colored in black mascara creating lines in her foundation. It was the first time in almost a week that she really had the chance to look at her and study her face. The few wrinkles she had you could barely see, and her shared emerald eyes glowed in the sun rays pouring in through the windows. She was beautiful. Celeste wondered how she hadn’t seen this so prominently before.  

“Are you ok?” Her mother held her shoulders looking into her eyes 

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m glad to see you.”  

Her mother smiled, her eyes still glistening from her tears. 

“Are you ready to start?” Celeste and her mother looked up caught off guard.  

“Yes, I believe we are.” she said, wiping away her tears.  

“Well Celeste, I called you in today because your mother has made a room change request.”  

“What’s that?”  

“It means you and your sister will be sharing a room!” Celeste’s mother sat up straight smiling a soft warm smile.  

“Yes, Celeste, you will be moving to Cecilia’s room. It has plenty of space.” Dr. Sholtz looked up from her laptop at Celeste.  

“Sounds good.” Celeste leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder yawning and rubbing her eyes. 

“We will get you moved this evening as quickly as possible so you can rest. I know you must be exhausted.” Her mother ran her fingers through Celeste’s short black hair kissing her on the top of her head.  

“Ok,” Celeste closed her eyes drifting into the abyss of her own mind. 

“Celeste, come on!”  

The smell of wet grass filled her nose, and the afternoon sun blinded her. Her eyes were sharp, seeing a large open field with a dirt path leading into the woods. She turned, looking at her surroundings. A big brown barn Stood behind her. A gated pasture with 8 cows inside beside the barn. Barrels of hay stacked on top of each other up against the fence. A small girl with bright blue eyes and blonde hair that fell at her jawline sat on top of a white spotted horse calling her name.  

“Come on, we have to go while we have time before dinner.” The little girl urged with a soft smile. Celeste walked towards her studying her face. Dark constellations of freckles covered her cheeks.  

“Celeste don’t just sit there, come on I want to go riding!”  

“I thought- dinners already done.”  

The little girl’s face fell from her smile. She glared at Celeste “No it’s not. We have to leave now.”  

“No, we don’t Cecilia. We need to go inside.”  

“I thought you’d be different now.”  

“No Cecilia you don’t understand we need to go inside now please just trust me.”  

“NO!” A kick to the horse and the spotted animal galloped away. The force from the wind knocked Celeste back and she fell into a field of bluebonnets. She held her head getting back to her feet.  

“CECILIA” She screamed looking for her sister. “CECILIA!” She tripped over herself holding her head. “CECILIA!” 

“I’m right here” She felt someone shaking her. Celeste opened her eyes to her sister sitting next to her with the same white walls and cold floor surrounding her.  

Celeste sat up in bed holding the back of her head and looking around.  

“Cecilia?”  

“Why were you screaming so loudly?”  

“I’m fine.” Celeste dismissed her sister’s worries getting up out of bed. Looking around, the room she stood in was much more colorful than the rest of the hospital. There were big posters of all assorted colors, a radio to play songs, and stuffed animals on a blue chair sitting in the corner. There was a TV near the ceiling in front of Cecilia’s bed that sat in the middle of the room, headboard up against the wall. Celeste stood, her hands leaning on her own bed which was pushed against the wall.  

“This is nice,” she said. 

“Yeah, I got to put my own stuff in here to really make it mine.”  

“I can tell. You did a great job.” Celeste gave Cecilia a slight smile and Cecilia returned it.  

“So, what would you like to do today?” Cecilia sat in her wheelchair looking up at her sister.  

“I-” Before Celeste could convey her thoughts, they heard a knock on the door.  

“Come in,” Cecilia said. Holly opened the door.  

“Celeste it’s time to visit Dr. Sholtz.” 

“Seriously? I just saw her last night.”  

“Well, she needs to see you for your check in. Go ahead and get dressed then you can go check in with her and you and Cecilia can go grab some breakfast.”   

“Fine.” Celeste walked over to the bathroom, closed the door, and got ready as slowly as possible. When she finally emerged, Holly looked annoyed and impatient.  

“I’ll see you for breakfast,” Celeste said walking out of the room. 

“All right.” Cecilia waved as her sister disappeared into the hallway, the heavy door closing behind her. Holly and Celeste walked in silence looking around at other nurses and doctors. They turned onto an empty hallway making the double doors ahead their goal.  

“Your sister talks about you every day.” 

“What?” Celeste turned to Holly 

“She has not stopped talking about you since the day she got here. She tells her doctors and nurses about you all the time. She’s told me about you every day you’ve been here. About how you taught her how to horseback ride. She tells me about how you would let her sleep in your room when she was scared. About the stuffed horse, you got her after her horse Spot died. She tells me about how you shaved your head with her when she was diagnosed with cancer because she was so upset about losing it. She loves you so much.”  

Celeste looked down at the floor. Her eyes looked at the tile finding designs. “I love her too.”  

They walked up Holly opened one of the two doors allowing Celeste to wheel her IV stand through.  

“I’ll be out here whenever you get done.” 

“Ok, I’ll be back in a minute.” She walked down, turning into the warm office.  

“Good morning, Celeste. How are we today?” 

“I’m fine.” She sat down on the couch. 

“So, let me pull up your file.” She typed on her laptop her lips pursed at the side of her face. “Ah ok, so can you tell me what you’ll be eating for breakfast this morning?”  

“I don’t know no one told me what they’re serving this morning.”  

“Hm…” She typed some more. “You can choose between a waffle with sausage or eggs, toast, and bacon.” 

“No hash browns?” 

“Not today.”  

“Hm… then I guess the waffle with sausage.”  

“Ok and what are your plans today?” 

“Whatever my sister wants to do. Maybe go for a walk, color, or listen to music.” 

“Mkay, you’re all set girly. Go ahead and grab a lollipop if you want one and I’ll see you again before lunch.” 

“All right, see ya.” She walked out back into the hallway and met Holly.  

“You ready?”  

“Yeah.”   

They walked in silence except for the occasional hello to other doctors or nurses. When they arrived at the room 3 nurses and a doctor were inside, surrounding Cecilia.  

“What’s going on?” Celeste walked over seeing more of her sister as she got closer.  

“Oh, nothing sweetie just checking her vitals.” the nurse said.  

Cecilia was hunched over with tubes and machines all connected to her with all different beeps and sounds going off. She was crying and holding her stomach.  

“Cecilia?” Celeste looked worried.  

“Where does it hurt, hun?” A nurse rubbed her back, but Cecilia did not move. Did not even acknowledge her question.  

“Oww” she whispered in desperation. 

“Let’s clear out” the doctor exclaimed “You two move out of the way. Celeste and Holly stepped out to the side and the crowd followed behind, wheeling Cecilia away.  

“Is she okay?” Celeste looked at Holly with worry.  

“She’ll be okay hon. Just another episode.” Holly walked Celeste in and sat her down on the bed. “What would you like for breakfast?”  

“A waffle and sausage please.”  

“Okay I’ll get that for you, I’ll be right back.” Holly walked out into the hallway. Celeste sat thinking about her sister. She knew the cancer was spreading but how long would her sister have?  

“Here are your waffles. I got you orange juice as your drink, you need your vitamins. I hope that’s okay.”  

“Yes, thank you.” She turned on the bed facing her table that pulled up for her to eat on. As she ate, she watched TV just a few channels and nothing super special on it. Just then the door opened swiftly, and Cecilia was wheeled back in. They helped her into bed with breakfast on her table and said they would be back. When the door shut Celeste turned to Cecilia.  

“You, okay?”  

“Yeah,” Cecilia nervously giggled. “Sorry about that” She smiled apologetically.  

“No, it’s fine. Are you sure you’re, okay?”  

“Yeah, yeah, I’m all good. Nothing to worry about.” She smiled and then started cutting her own waffle.  

“So, what would you like to do today?”  

“Um oh, I don’t know. We could go for a walk maybe?”  

“Is that all there is to do around here?” Celeste looked annoyed for her sister. “You shouldn’t be kept here with barely anything to do.”  

“Well, we could ask for a day out?”  

“What does that mean?” 

“It means we put in a request to the doctors and nurses for a day to leave with supervision to go somewhere.”  

“Anywhere?” 

“Well, it has to be within reason and there has to be enough staff, so we have proper supervision.”  

“Can we go home?”  

Cecilia shrugged. “I’ve never asked. Maybe?” 

Celeste hit the red call button.  

“Wait!”  

“What?”  

Suddenly doctors and nurses flew in. They looked between both girls out of breath, eyes wide. “What happened? Who needs us?”  

“How do we request a day out?” 

The doctor looked annoyed. “That’s what you needed us for?” 

“Yes?” Celeste looked unbothered 

“That button is only for emergencies.” 

“Oh, whoops. So, how do we request for a day out?”  

“You need to do it about a week in advance so we can have enough staff on board and transportation at the ready. You would fill out a sheet that your nurse can bring to you.” 

Cecilia’s face fell. “A week?” She asked 

“Yes.”  

“Can you please make an exception?” Her eyes filled with hope staring at the doctor. “Please”  

The doctor sighed and then whispered back and forth with a few nurses. He looked back between the two sisters, “I will ask. When were you wanting to go?” 

Celeste spoke up, “Today.”  

The doctor’s eyes widened. “Today?” He repeated.  

“Yes.” Cecilia looked at her sister smiling.  

“Alright let me go ask. I’ll be back in a few.” 

The group walked out leaving the girls giggling with excitement.  

“I wish we could go horseback riding again but just being there will be nice” Cecilia smiled. 

“Yeah, me too.” Celeste looked down at the blanket, fiddling with a loose thread. She thought about the afternoons they would ride through the wooded areas near their barn. They would stop at their secret hideout, which was a small circle of four tall trees with a blanket nailed to the sides, creating a ceiling and two back walls. They spoke about everything there. How their mom was doing after their dad died, the nasty food their uncle made, boys, girls, friends, enemies, lovers, life, everything. She thought about what life would look like if her sister had more time. A knock at the door and the doctor walked back in. 

“Get ready, we’ll leave as soon as we can.”  

“Yes!” The girls fumble around grabbing real clothes and shoes instead of the hospital gowns they were used to wearing. Nurses helped Cecilia dress behind a curtain and Celeste threw on some joggers and a tank top with a pair of vans. They headed out 3 nurses walking behind them, one pushing Cecilia’s wheelchair. Celeste was happy to have a break from the IV for a while. They hopped in a big white van with the hospital’s logo printed on the side.  

The ride was long, but they spent the time talking about memories from their home. They grew up with each other truly and fully immersed in the wilderness of the fields of Texas.  

“Remember that big oak tree we used to climb?”  

“Yeah, we used to race to the top. I beat you every time” Cecilia giggled 

“I don’t know about that” Celeste grinned with her eyebrows raised. 

“Oh, do you remember that time that Uncle Ronny was over with that snotty new girlfriend of his and we decided to scare her, so we grabbed a jar of worms from the woods and put them down her shirt?” 

Cecilia laughed, “Yes! How could I forget? That was hilarious!”  

“She couldn’t stop crying and she broke up with him on the spot!” 

The two sisters laughed. The afternoon sun lit up the car reflecting Cecilia’s blue eyes. They lit up like sapphires on a pale face. Celeste could not stop staring at them. They were beautiful.  

“What? You’re being weird stop staring at me.” Cecilia’s face dropped and she covered her head. “I know I don’t have hair anymore but its rude to judge.”  

“Cecilia, I think you’re beautiful with or without hair. If someone stares at you because of that then that’s their own problem. I was staring at your eyes, they’re beautiful especially when the sun reflects off of them.”  

Cecilia’s face widened into a smile. “Thank you.”  

“Just a few more minutes and we’ll be there, ok girls?”  

They looked up at the driver, “Okay!” Celeste sat her head on the window looking out at the passing trees and flowers. She had not felt this happy in so long that she almost forgot what it was like. She looked over at her sister. Her sweet and positive sister. She questioned why her sister was the one to have to endure this. She questioned why she and her mother agreed to stop treatments. She knew she did not have much longer, yet she still smiled, she still laughed, and she still saw the good in everything. She did not deserve any of this.  

“All right girls, we’re here.” 

The van parked and everyone got out, helping Cecilia into her wheelchair. 

“Hello girls!” Their mother gave them a big hug. “I’m so glad you got to come today!” She smiled at them and they returned it. Celeste’s nose followed the scent of grass and farmland. Their beautiful pasture sat in her eyes, and she pinned around in excitement.  

“We’re back Cecilia! We’re really back!”  

Cecilia joyfully hollered her excitement echoing across the open green landscape. They started up to the barn Celeste pushing Cecilia’s wheelchair.  

“Look, it’s Bonney!” 

“Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen her since she was just a baby she’s grown so much!” 

“Yeah, you’ve missed a lot girl I have to show you all around the farm!”  

They ran around looking at the new cattle, horses, and plants. What seemed like miles of greenery were covered in an instant. Echos of reminiscing memories and joy filled the air.  

“Wait, we haven’t gone to our secret hideout yet!  

“Oh my gosh, wheel me over there we have to go see it!” 

They ran across the green pasture down the dirt path that led into the woods making a right a little way in and coming upon a big blue blanket nailed to the four oak trees.  

“Wheel me under I wanna see our old drawings on the trees.” She sat studying each drawing painted in memories. She touched one of a girl climbing a tree. “The old oak” She whispered.  

“It’s still here,” Celeste said pointing to a few trees beyond.  

Cecilia gasped. “I was afraid it would be gone by the time I came home.”  

“Nah it couldn’t die before you got home. I wouldn’t have let it.”  

Cecilia smiled and Celeste sat inspecting her and her smile.  

“How are you so happy?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean you’re always so positive and you’re just-” Celeste sighed “I mean you- never mind.” 

“I have cancer?” 

“…yeah.” 

“I know I don’t have much time left but every day is a gift, and I must live as such. I’m given the time I’m given and complaining about my situation isn’t going to do anything. I’m in pain so I know when I die it will be a release more than it will be a bad thing.”  

Celeste paused, listening to her sister’s wise words. She was in pain too but not like the kind of pain her sister was in so maybe it didn’t apply to her, but maybe it did. There was some part of her that was moved not only for her sister but also by her sister. Maybe she didn’t have to die to feel happy.  

“Hey, I’ll race you to the top!” 

“I thought you couldn’t walk or climb or anything.”  

“Oh my gosh, I can they just want to baby me and keep me protected but it doesn’t matter now we have free time!” 

“I don’t want you to get hurt though.”
“Celeste I’m dying, I can’t get any more hurt than that. Now come on let’s go!”  

“Well, I can’t exactly argue with that. The last one to the top is a pile of horse crap.” They both laughed and started up the big oak. Cecilia made it to the top first, surprising Celeste.  

“Woah girl.” 

“I’ve been wanting to climb a tree since I got put in that sad, depressing hospital.”  

“Well okay then” Celeste laughed, “I guess I’m the pile of horse crap.” 

“Darn right you are.” Cecilia smiled  

“Girls it’s time to go back.” 

“Are you serious right now?” 

“Yes, it’s almost supper time and I told y’all we had to be back by the end of the day.” 

Cecilia rolled her eyes grabbing her sister’s hand. “Come on… will you push me over to the van, so they don’t get mad at me?”  

“Yeah sure” She chuckled. They made their way over back to the van and hugged their mom goodbye before climbing in.  

“I’m going to follow you guys and we can all eat supper together and I may spend the night there too.”  

“Okay, Mom see you there.”  

The long drive flew by with the two sisters talking about all the old memories that sparked under their hideout. The drawings, the animals, and the scenery all contributed to the recollection of their childhood. Even once they arrived at the hospital, they could not stop reminiscing.  

“All right girls, we’re going to set y’all in the dining hall so you can eat with your mother.”  

“Okay,” they said in unison.  

Getting out of the van and walking through the front entrance, the flowers on either side seemed to stand taller and more in line with each other. It almost seemed as if they did not even move with the breeze. Celeste found it odd, but the sun was setting, and she was hungry, so she did not worry too much about it. They sat around the round table with their mother eating and talking.  

“This has been such a good day, thank you for taking me home.” Cecilia smiled at her sister.  

“Girl, I didn’t take you there, I’m just glad I got to come with you. I had a lot of fun though.”  

They smiled at each other and at their mother who was tearing up.  

“What’s wrong mom?”  

“Nothing Celeste, it just makes me happy to see you two together.” 

They soon finished dinner and went back to their room to get ready for bed. Their mom sat helping Cecilia get into her gown and get into bed.  

“Today was amazing.” She smiled  

“It was, wasn’t it?” Their mother sat next to her bed stroking her forehead. Celeste walked out of the bathroom ready to get into bed, she was exhausted. 

“Oww” Cecilia’s face went completely pale. “Oww” she repeated now hunched over.  

“Honey? What’s wrong?” her mother stood up holding her daughter worried. Cecilia didn’t say a word, just held herself.  

“Celeste press the red button.” 

Celeste went to do as her mother instructed but was stopped.
“No.”  

“No? 

Cecilia struggled to sit up and look at her mother. “I don’t want this anymore. I can’t keep doing this.”  

“No Honey you don’t know what you’re talking about. Celeste, press the red button please.” 

“NO!” She yelled. “Mom, you don’t understand what this is like. I‘m tired Mom, please.” 

“No, I don’t know what it’s like, but I do know what it’s like to have a daughter.” She tried to turn to Celeste again.
“Mom, I love you, but I’m done with this.” 

“No Cecilia May don’t you dare talk like that. Press the button now Celeste.”  

“Mom I’m trying to tell you, whether the doctors come or not, today is my last day.”  

“No, it’s not” 

“Yes, it is. I knew the moment I woke up this morning. Please I just want to go in peace.”  

Their mother had tears rolling down her face. The face that had realized her daughter meant what she said.  

“Okay.” their mother whispered  

“What?!” Celeste walked over to her sister’s side. “NO! Mom, tell her she’s crazy!”  

“It’s okay” Cecilia held her sister’s hand.  

“No Cecilia, you can’t leave me please Cecilia” Tears rolled down her face. “Please.” She whispered. “You are supposed to come home perinatally. You still need to see my metal from the zoo. Please”  

“Celeste, I know you didn’t survive a tiger attack. I’m not little anymore.” She smiled. “I’m ready. I’ve been in pain for so long, I’m okay with it. Just please keep going for me, ok?”  

“No, you aren’t going yet Cecilia! Please just rest, you’ll feel better soon and then we can go home back to the farm. You can lay in the bluebonnets with me, and we can look at the clouds.” She sniffed desperately trying to revive her sister.  

“I can’t wait to lay in the bluebonnets with you one day, but for now just promise me you’ll keep going. That’s all I ask.” 

“Cecilia- Please” She laid her head face down on the bed holding her sister’s hands tightly.  

“Don’t fight it, Celeste. I’m okay, I’m going to lay in the bluebonnets forever and I’ll wait for you to lay with me.” She smiled a tear rolling down her cheek. “Please just promise me- “ 

“I promise” Celeste cut her off. “I promise”  

Cecilia smiled at her sister. “I love you”  

“I love you too” Celeste looked into her sister’s eyes as they closed. She hugged her body as it went limp, and her machines screeched. Her tears dripped on her sister’s gown. She screamed. 2 years of built-up anger and sadness left her body in a single heartfelt scream. The doctors pulled her away and they took Cecilia’s body, rolling it on the bed into another room. Celeste fell to her knees holding her arms tight, crying. Her mother dropped to the floor next to her and held her tightly in her arms. They hugged tightly, so tightly that Celeste could hardly catch her breath. Everything moved quickly like a year in a day but instead a night in a minute. Doctors flooded their room a few minutes later. 

“She was smiling.” The doctor looked astonished at his own words. 

“What?” Celeste said through tears.  

“She was smiling when she died.”  

“Okay.” Celeste turned away. 

“No, you don’t understand.” The doctor started again. “She was able to die a happy death because of you. That is the best gift you could have given her.” 

Celeste and her mother smiled through tears.  

The funeral was beautiful. Her casket was buried under a field of bluebonnets. Memories were passed through family members. Love encompassed her.  

“This is how she would’ve wanted it.”, her mother said smiling 

“It is. Shes with dad now.” Celeste said 

There was an overwhelming peace in the atmosphere, hardly anyone cried, they just smiled at the stories everyone told. Celeste read her gravestone in awe by the words, “She lays in blue.”