User blog:Mai Is Me/The Fireplace

When I was seven years old, my mother died.

On a hill where spring light was pouring down, I once seen flowers surrounding my mother that are as beautiful as the Harvest Goddess. My father quietly stepped close to me, held me close and said

"Gill…I …I've lost everything."

I only wanted to cry, I loudly sobbed. I was a frail child. Father had lost the support of Mother, and now seemed terribly helpless.

In her lifetime, from a young me's perspective she was a beautiful womanで、病弱な体のせいだろうか、 控えめで優しい雰囲気の人だった. Mother was always knitting near the fireplace; I liked to sit close and watch. When father returned from work, everyone circled the stew warmed by the fireplace. We were a very happy family.

Father was pathetic after my mother's death. Though people from other towns were concerned and asked about him, Father locked himself in his room and wouldn't meet anyone, everyday he spent his time looking at a photo of Mother. At that time, I learned how to do everything. Cooking, laundry, cleaning the town, I did everything. Looking at the empty shell that was my father, I had to act as my mother's substitute, I thought that by family had become hopeless.

I wanted to try and make my mother's specialty, "ratatouille." I thought if I did that it would make my father better. But, no matter what I did, I couldn't get it to taste like my mother's... Missing my mother, I cried by myself.

From that time, the fireplace wasn't used anymore.

I wanted Father to be strong. I respected Father more than anyone else. He's always working for everyone in town, picking flowers for Mother, and, while gently brushing my head, he always says his favourite saying.

「人のためになることをしなさい. 人に優しくなりなさい. 」

But Mother's death changed Father. Not thinking at all of other people, 僕を見てくれようともしない. My father was a different and pathetic person, and I began to feel resentment towards him.

So, one day, I made up my mind. 父上がいつも大事に眺めている母上の結婚指輪を、 暖炉の奥に隠してしまおうと. 思い出の品がなくなってしまえば忘れてしまうだろう. きっと立ち直ってくれるに違いないと考えた.

Iが計画を実行してすぐ、Fatherがfacial expression changed, he bursted into my room.

「my…あれを知らないかね！？It's important! not be found のだ！」

Iはびっくりした. なぜなら、After a long time 見たfather's face は、eyes were bloodshot, his cheeks were sullen. とてもmy知っているFatherではなかったから. Fatherはそれから、よろよろとliving roomに向かい、ひざをついた.

「Iは…wifeを守れなかった. そんなIが町を守れるものか. wifeがいなければ…I１人ではとても…. 」

I felt that this was the first time I was seeing my father's pain. 僕は、今までつらそうな父に声をかけただろうか. 話をしただろうか……. Naturally, my words came out.

"Father, I'm here. You aren't alone."

Father turned his head and weakly mumbled

"What are you saying…"

Fatherは考え込むようにしてしばらくsink into silence、それから少し 落ち着いた 様子で surveying the living room, そこにあるひとつひとつをなぞるようにそっと触った.

The three of our matching mugs…, my mother's favourite stew pot…, My father and my different colour knits that my mother had knitted…

"Really? Yes, that's right. wifeは、weがAfter this 生きていくために たくさんのものを遺してくれた. youとIで、しっかり生きていかなければならないな…. "

"This fireplace is filled with important memories of you mother. いつかemotional scars が癒えたらまた、lightをともそう. "

Iはfatherにしがみついて泣いた. now はうれしくて泣いた. We try are hardest. season はまた、springを迎えようとしていた.

あれから１０年. we familyはwinterの準備に追われていた.

"Father, is it okay if I throw this old book out?"

I peeked into the study, and seen Father viewing at old albums.

「Gillよ, そろそろ暖炉の掃除をしようかと思うのだよ…. むかーし、inside of the fireplaceにbook of legendsをしまったこともあってね. あれも取り出さなければいかん. 」

"Book?"

I suddenly remembered the hidden ring.

"You heard about the novice rancher who moved into town recently, haven't you? I'm thinking about giving it to that kid. "

Father seemed to be enjoying himself. He already seemed alright. Finally a new flameをともす決意ができたのだ.

Before Father had time to start cleaning the fireplace, a visitor appear at our house. They went to the living room where father was calling for help. My father was stuck in the fireplace, and that novice rancher pulled him out.

My father took the book out of the inside of the fireplace and gave it to that rancher. Father's faceはもう立派なmayorのfaceだった、 あのとき…、Fatherが例のringを見つけたかどうかは、Iはとうとう聞かなかった.

From this winter, a warm light is burning in our house's fireplace.

END