Healing Takes Time

My eyes blinked open. I appeared to be surrounded by a cocoon.

Pink and white.

I pulled my hand from the dirt and touched it.

So soft, like a petal, and I knew instantly that's what it was.

As the new heart of Polonias, this was my flower.

Soft footsteps came toward me. I wasn't sure what to do, so I waited inside the blossom, listening.

In moments, I sensed it was Polly and Leo.

They were happy. So happy! And there was more. She was already expecting.

Without knowing how, I came out of the ground, my flower, a vivid pink peony, became clothing as I found purchase atop the grass.

My eyes first caught and held Leo's.

He looked the same, only the worried edge to his features had gone.

When I noticed Polly, I gawked. She no longer looked like a thousand-year-old child, but a woman with long blond hair, bright blue eyes, and womanly curves.

She looked like me. "Polly, you look beautiful," I said, utterly shocked.

Going to her, I took her outstretched hands.

"Hello, sister," s