How Life Is

Writer's point of view...

  Claire spinned around and chuckled. she was overwhelmed, not because of the dress she had on but for the fact that Susan had chosen it for her. It was a blue dress covered in little yellow flowers on an off white background, along with small white ruffles here and there. She looked like a princess.

Claire was so distracted by her own reflection she didn't notice how Susan was looking at her and when she did notice, she saw the most loving gaze anyone has ever given her. It warmed her heart and that moment, she realized how good it would be if she could hug Susan. It's not possible because this friend of hers is a ghost.

  "I hope that one day, I would hug you and tell you how much I love you"

Claire prayed sincerely in her heart with a warm smile, only if she is aware that ghosts don't come back to life. It's in a moment like this that you would be able to tell she is a child because that thought was the most childish thought ever. 

  "The dress looks good on you. It's like the designer had you in mind when it was made"

  Susan said, bringing Claire out of her thoughts.

Claire nodded and looked at her reflection again then chuckled. She never liked this dress before and that's somehow surprising to her when Susan insisted she wear it, she never argued, rather, she happily wore it and now, she is glad she did.

 "I know right. It's funny how one choice of things changes. This dress was something I never liked to wear. I had no reason to hate the dress. I couldn't say if it's because mum got it for me,it wasn't the reason. I just disliked it but today when you asked me to wear,I happily wore the dress" 

  Susan narrowed her eyes at what Claire said. She had no answer to why Claire would suddenly like the dress but she had a suggestion. She once had something similar to this when she was fifteen, it was her favourite dress back then. She wore it till she turned sixteen. In fact, she stopped wearing it because it was not her size anymore so she gave the dress to Jenny. Jenny never wore the cloth for one day,yet she had it in her closet.

  She had asked Jenny on several occasions why she never wore the dress, the only reply she ever got from Jenny was that the dress is too good to be worn. That since it's an only gift from her, she would love to keep the memory alive. So in order to keep the memory alive, Jenny kept the dress and took it along wherever she went.

  Susan is not sure if Jenny still has the dress since many years have passed. 

  Truth to be told, the day mercy had gotten this dress for Claire, Susan had made her buy the dress. It was just what it is.

  "I was like that when I was growing up. I was my mum's favourite. She would pamper me silly and everything I asked she always gave me, thereby making me a spoiled brat. She could buy me things and I reject them simply because I know that she can get me anything I want. Yet those rejected gifts of mine I will end up liking later. Life is just like that and some days are like that. I'm glad you decided to wear it. If you haven't tried it on you won't see that you look so amazing in it" 

Claire blushed after hearing Susan's last words. And again, in the overall statement Susan made, Claire just had a glimpse of who Susan was while she was a teenager and she imagined her always complaining here and then. It was funny to imagine.

"You know I can't imagine how a spoilt brat you were"

Claire laughed.

  "Someday, I would like to meet your mom. It would be fun to get to know her"

Her expression turned from mild to excitement.

  "I hope so"

Susan replied without thinking about it. She doesn't want to think about how Claire will feel if she finds out that Mercy is not her mom and that she has been her mom all along and she never told her. It would be heartbreaking. Left for her, she would say let the truth remain buried.

  "I am sure you would like her"

Susan added and Claire nodded.

"I can't wait.

  Both went silent for a while.

"I think they would be waiting for you, you would not like to keep them wait"

Susan stated breaking the awkwardness between them.

Claire giggled.

"Yeah, you're right"

Claire looked at herself from head to toe and shook her head amused.

"I should leave. I don't want any of them yelling my name. I find it awkward''

Claire spoke softly.

Susan smiled and nodded her head then gestured towards her room exit.

  Susan waved and walked towards the door,"remember after breakfast, we are leaving"

She reminded Susan and finally took hers out of the room.

  The moment she left, Susan collapsed on the bed.

"I wished things were different"

Susan mumbled.