A Sad Story Told

My hand lay on the silver handle. The copper chest had a lot of rust, but I could still see the beautiful mermaid designs. I knew the second key was the right one because of the little seashell on it. Grinning victoriously, I put the key that I had finally obtained from my mother in the keyhole. This day, June 7th was a glorious day! What treasures await me, I thought while turning the key. The chest was finally unlocked. Now, I would know the secrets that my mother’s chest is holding. I struggled to lift the pure copper cover.
Finally, it was open. As I started rummaging through the chest’s contents, a story came out to me-

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An obstetrician’s business card
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A book: What To Expect When You’re Expecting
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An x-ray of a fetus
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Another book: 1000 Baby Names

My heart warmed. These must be the things she bought when she was pregnant with me. But why keep it under lock and key?
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A surprise baby shower for my mother- Joan Smith- invitation
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A list of all the presents she got

I looked closer at the date on the invitation: March 15th, 1995. That’s weird, I thought, I’m my mother’s first born, and I was born February 14th, 1998. What, my mother was pregnant for three years?
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Baby shoes
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A baby girl’s outfit
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A cloth diaper

All of them were still in their packages.
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A locket
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A letter
I don’t know where you are going to be right now…but I already know you are going to be an amazing person… right now I am looking into your deep, brown eyes… I don’t know when I’ll decide to give you this letter, but I’m sure I’ll have a good reason…
With Love, Joan Smith, your mother…
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A birth certificate for Leila Smith, born June 7th, 1995.
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A bunch of It’s A Girl cards

It was June 7th, 2010. She would have been 15. The next book made me shudder.
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What to Do When Your Child Has Cancer
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Hospital bills
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Insurance papers
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Letters from cancer organizations, offering to help
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A check to a infant cancer specialist, Dr. Lee

Why was it never given? I wondered… what happened to the little girl? The baby that could have been my secret sister? Had she gotten better? If she had, where was she? What did she look like? Was she given up for adoption? Or maybe- my eager questions were stopped cold when I picked up a paper. My hands trembled as I read:

“This certificate is to certify that Leila Smith died June 7th, 1996, due to Pancreatic cancer. Her body has been buried in Briarwood cemetery..”

She died on her first birthday. My mother wasn’t just keeping all reminders of my sister under lock and key… she was trying to lock her sadness there too, only to be brought out when ready. There was one more item. It was a photo of my mother. She had her arms draped around a tiny coffin. The photo was old- it was all yellowed and frail. I could see tears on it. Some were from 15 years ago, some were from June 7th, 2010- today.