What an ordinary thing. A teddy-bear, so ordinary… And yet, I fear them all, because of that one day. So long ago, so distant, yet so vivid and clear in my mind, engraved straight on. That memory is a hungry beast stalking my mind. That day, I shudder just thinking of it; yet, I think of it everyday- during all hours of the day and I dream of it- that teddy bear, floating away as my life did as well. All because of that one day.

My daughter, I’d never gotten used to saying that. To think that I- Carrie Rose, had a daughter! I loved her with every bit of my heart and so did Jeff, my wonderful husband. Her name was Rose, just like my last name and she was adopted! Though, she was a bit odd, queer if you say, I still loved her. She was usually extremely quiet, in a world of her own. She often had a most peculiar glassed look on her face. So, you see, I was immensely proud and happy when she came back with the cutest (cute to the point of sinister evil, now that I look back on it) teddy-bear she named Mary, from which she said she had gotten from a friend, Christie.  Her first friend! I celebrated, her first friend when I thought she would have none, with my husband, perhaps a little too soon…

Over the next few days, she talked increasingly about Christie to her bear. Then the topic matters broadened and changed until it encompassed everything that had gone on in her day and happened around her. It unnerved me how much time she spent talking to a stuffed animal and not once, did I ever see hide or hair of the friend who gave it to her, Christie. Not a phone call to her, not a request to either bring her over or hang out with her as normally girls do. My husband simply dismissed this as a casual, early phase of friendship and convinced me that this would pass and before long, I’d constantly bugged with request for her to hang out with Christie. I however, was not so convinced. And so, I set out to question her about her new friend.

I started off with a casual “How was your day?”

“Fine,” she replied.