Closing her eyes, Daisy wore a smile on her face. It was a beautiful smile that made her face glitter like fine wine. Her eyes flutter open like the wings of a butterfly ready to fly, only that she was here to stay.
"I understand, Paula. Madre looks beautiful even in death." Daisy spoke, her hands gently touching her mother's white hair as she stifled a chuckle.
"How's mother's death a thing of beauty for you?" Paula asked with a deep frown. "You know what, don't explain. I won't understand anyway. You've always been weird." Paula added with a strange look on her face.
It was a faraway look of her past life with her sister and parents. She had never understood Daisy. Why her parents named her such a fine name but her character opposite of what her name was meant to depicts.
"You have that look again. The look that says you disregard my behavior. The behavior you call weird but isn't. Maybe if you can try seeing things my way... just maybe you'd understand." Daisy spoke softly with a smile.
"Just maybe you'd understand..."
The statement echoed around Paula that she swore she could feel its presence on her skin. It was a familiar statement Daisy always made. When their father died in war; an heroic death they called it. Daisy was there with a smile. Even on the day he was buried. While everyone cried, while their mother held the cold hands of her husband and shed undeniably hot tears, Daisy smiled. It was out of place. And this...
"Why not try understanding the way the rest of the world grieves? You know, with tears on their face and pain in their heart for the wonderful soul they lost. Have you tried doing that?" Paula questioned with a sigh.
Shrugging her shoulders, Daisy replied."I assure you, I understand, but I just can't find myself doing that. Mom lived a good life, and now she is at rest. Death is seen as a virus, a cruelty to our world, but it isn't. It is the bitter truth about life, Paula. No one will live forever, so it is nice to cherish the life the souls that have passed away have lived. Mom made our life beautiful, and for that, I am happy. The memories she left make me happy." Daisy said.
"Her memories make you happy?" Paula interjected with a huff. "Her memories make you.." Seething her teeth loudly, she left the hospital room where their mother laid. The hospital was packed with people moving all around.
Lifting her face up, Paula quickly escaped to the church she saw close by the hospital when she came in with her family after she was called of her mother passing away.
The walk out of the hospital to the church was brutal. Trying to escape her husband and two children, she found herself walking fast yet slowly as she made her way out of the hospital door.
The summer smell hit her nostril as she walked toward the church. It was a small church surrounded by nature.
The moment her legs touched the door of the church, she felt an air rush of peace washed over her. Step by step, she found her legs heading straight to the altar with an unbelievable amount of tears raining down her face. She had been trying to hold it all together, but... she couldn't. Her anger towards life for giving her such a little sister who never whines or cries.
Her parents had understood her and loved her even with her behavior. They had said she was a gift from God. They never saw her weirdly or saw deep meaning to her weird actions.
She had tried understanding a little when their father died when Daisy had smiled. Went on with her daily activities like nothing happened. She had been angry but tried to excuse the behavior because of her age. Daisy was only 13 years old when their father died, and she, being 5 years older, meant she understood the situation better than her.
But now... seeing her smile again at their mother's death breaks her heart to tiny pieces.
"What am I going to do with a 36 year old woman? How would she live life alone now that mom is gone and with no one to understand her behavior? The society... oh! How would my little sister face the world on her own?" Paula questioned aloud with tears streaming down her eyes.
Placing her right hand on her forehead, Paula shook her head vigorously. Thoughts of her sister being alone after the burial clouded her mind, and she couldn't help thinking ahead of things she could possibly do.
"Your husband is looking for you. The arrangements have been made. I already signed all the documents. I know it will be hard for you to do them." Daisy spoke, her voice breaking the silence in the church.
Quickly cleaning her tears, Paula stood up. "I guess you didn't understand I needed to be alone." Paula mentioned.
"I did. That was why I didn't talk you back into staying. I could see the tears you were trying to hold as you walked out and left me with mom. I saw you from the hospital window heading toward this place. I only came here to get you. I think you wouldn't like your children seeing you this way." Daisy replied with a shrug.
"Hmm, that's weird. I didn't think you had feelings." Paula spoke with her arms, akimbo
"You are so funny. I do have feelings, I just react to them differently than you. There's nothing wrong with that, and you don't have to worry about me. I heard you lamenting. But, I am fine being alone. You should know that." Daisy replied.
"You've always stayed at home. Even university was close to home. When I got married, you were left alone with mom till this moment. How can you live alone with how different you are?" Paula questioned.
"I am not alone. I have you, your children, and even my circle of friends and, most especially, my work. I have my lab at home where I run things, and I partner with other science projects. So, you don't have to worry about me being different. I have my own people. People who understand my approach to life well."
"...and I guess you work with those people, right?" Paula asked.
"Well, I do, Paula. I do. Now, let's go meet your family, bury mom, and share the lovely memories she left behind." Daisy replied with a larger smile, and Paula couldn't help the little light of smile that sparkled on her face as well.