The daisy that healed hearts

Sofie saw her mother’s daisy lying in its little pot on the counter. The full watering can sat next to it; it’s faded flowery stickers peeling with age. Dang! In her rush to leave on the most important day of all at school, she had neglected to water the small plant. She picked up the watering can and tried to douse the daisy in water, but it was too late. The small plant bent down and it’s happy bright colors faded to a dreary shade of gray. No, no, no! When her mother got home to find the daisy lifeless she would be in the most trouble anyone could ever be in the history of the world. This was all because Sofie had died the tips of her hair pink. It all started at the hair dying salon when her mother got all worked up and she needed the daisy most. It would only work if Sofie had watered it. And now, thought Sofie with one thought leading to another, my mother may never get better again because of me. Then she started to cry. She slid down the wall, fat drops pouring out of her eyes life a waterfall. These were the tears she had been keeping back ever since her mother became ill. It had always been Sofie’s fault. Maybe her mother was better off without her. Yes that was absolutely true. So Sofie, her eyes still wet, left and hurried out into the rain only leaving behind one small trace that she had ever lived in her mother’s house. A small letter written on the largest charcoal petal from the daisy. The one her mother always turned over in her fingers when Sofie was at the store or out with friends. That one was Sofie’s petal. Each person that was special or dear to her mother had a petal and her mother would turn their petal around in her hand when she felt that person could use just a little luck. Just enough for the flowers magic to fill her with hope. Hope that maybe she may live. That she and Sofie would be able to spend more than just a few years together before… before… before she was gone.