Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Could Remington...

Her breathing was heavy, "Does he often get drunk?"

"Not really, just twice, but that one time was particularly frightening. You're the young master's mom, right?" Mr. Jackson suddenly asked.

Lizetta nodded, "I am."

Her voice was strained, unlike the first time she came here, comparing to Remington.

She thought Mr. Jackson might judge or find it odd, but Mr. Jackson just smiled at her.

"Ma'am, my condolences. The little guy was lucky to have parents who loved him."

Lizetta tasted bitterness in her mouth, "Lucky? He never even had the chance to open his eyes and see the world..."

Mr. Jackson was surprised, looking at the photo on the gravestone, he had thought the child had passed away as an infant, not realizing it was right at birth...

He said to Lizetta, "Ma'am, that's not quite right. I've worked here my entire life, and I can tell you, people who are remembered and cherished by their loved ones are truly fortunate!

You wouldn't believe how many get buried and then are never visited again, completely forgotten. That's what real death looks like.

And there are so many who are inconsolable at first but then don't come back after six months.

It's rare, like Mr. Dashiell, who comes once a week and has kept it up for quite some time. That's truly rare.

Even though you haven't visited before, it's clear you care deeply about the young master.

With parents who remember and love him like that, how can it not be considered a blessing?

You and Mr. Dashiell are still young, maybe if you have another child, the little guy could come back."

Lizetta was at Tranquil Meadows, and her grandparents would never bring up Daisy ahead of time.

Back in Zion City, there was no one she could talk about this with. She never thought that now, facing a stranger, it would somehow be easier.

She just hadn't expected Mr. Jackson to share this belief.

She even wondered if Remington had somehow convinced Mr. Jackson to say these things to her.

"Mr. Jackson is joking, how could such things be true!"

"Why not? I've worked here my whole life, seen plenty of strange things. Let me tell you, there was this couple, their only son, seventeen or eighteen, died in a car accident.

en

They just couldn't move on, crying here every few days. Then the wife dreamt their son told them he would return to them.

The very next day, they rushed here

to visit their son, followed by a magpie all the way. From the cemetery back home, the woman found out she was pregnant and guess what?" en

Mr. Jackson spoke vividly, and Lizetta couldn't help but be captivated.

"What then?"

"That newborn, looked exactly like their first son when he was a baby, even had a birthmark in the same spot. Isn't that like heaven sent their son back to them?"

Lizetta listened, stunned, as Mr. Jackson went into the duty room to fetch two umbrellas for her.

"It's getting late, and it's cold up there, looks like it's going to rain. You better go up and persuade Mr. Dashiell to come down."

Lizetta took the umbrella almost reflexively but didn't move.

"Mr. Jackson, what you just said, is it true?"

"What true?"

"About the dream and the baby looking the same."

"Of course, it's true. That family's young master is about ten years old now. Sometimes the parents bring him along to visit his brother. He looks just like the photo on the gravestone, even has the same personality traits. Ma'am, don't doubt it. Those remembered by their family, who still have ties to this world, they might find a way back..."

The phone in the duty room rang, and Mr. Jackson excused himself to answer it.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

Lizetta stood under the dimly lit eaves, frozen in thought.

She looked up at the sky, where dark clouds were gathering thicker by the minute, and the mountain wind howled with abandon. But still, the rain didn't fall.