Meet Me Where the Oak Tree Grows

She left us after taking a deadly potion, and by the time anyone found her, it was too late to save her. On the bedside table was a short farewell note.
"Jonah, Lana, I'm sorry for leaving in such a messy way. But death isn't the final chapter; forgetting is. If me living this life means forgetting everything,
then I've been gone a long time.
"I made this decision ages ago, so don't be sad for me. Everyone's got their own road to travel. I'm grateful to have shared part of mine with you, but
this is where I have to stop. Someone's been waiting for me, waiting patiently for me to see this world and then join him. I can't keep him waiting
alone any longer.
"Lana, I want you to know I love you so much. You've never been a burden; you filled the gaps in my heart. Having such a wonderful daughter in my

last years has been my greatest joy. I'm sorry I never made it to your school meetings. It's not that I didn't want to; I've dreamed of standing beside
you, proudly saying I'm Lana's mom. But I feared that once I was gone, being asked about me would hurt you more. Lana, be brave. You're amazing,
and I'm so proud of you. And remember, I love you.
"Jonah, I owe you an apology. My selfishness and fear kept you from chasing your dreams. That was my fault. I shouldn't have kept you tethered
under the guise of love. Everyone has their own path. You're grown now and can take care of yourself. Go after what you want; I won't hold you back
anymore. Please tell Cooper I'm sorry too. I shouldn’t blame him at first. And lastly, I love you."
I just took a nap, and when I woke up, my mom was gone. Jonah went on a trip, and when he came back, our mom had left us.
Some folks have already said their last goodbyes, but we just hadn't noticed. Our frail mom was wheeled into a metal room and came out as a small,
square box.
The urn snapped me out of my daze, and I couldn't hold back the tears. It felt like knives twisting in my chest, a wave of sorrow crashing over me,
blurring my vision with tears.
Jonah hugged me tight, his eyes red, saying nothing. The hall was filled with heartbreaking cries, some fainting from grief, others quietly sobbing.
An elderly person leaned on a cane, saying goodbye to a child before their time, a pregnant woman collapsed on the floor after losing her husband,
and a two-year-old with a lollipop watched in confusion as his mom was wheeled through a door she'd never walk back out of.
Life is full of suffering, a quiet lament of countless faces. The world feels like a purgatory.
Every sudden departure is foreshadowed by a series of signs. Sudden trips to see a doctor, the slowly visible effects of treatment, skipping school
meetings, no longer dancing under the tree or daydreaming by the door, baking more cookies than usual...
The signs were always there. I was just too blind to see them.

Meet Me Where the Oak Tree Grows
Chapter 48
Under the Veil I Rule
Chapter 305
Reading History