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Chapter 9
I no longer knew how long I had been under this magnolia tree, only that Rebecca came to visit me almost every week.
Gradually, fine lines appeared on her face, but she remained single.
I sat quietly beneath the tree, and when the wind blew, I would drift with it, then float back to my original spot. This was my only entertainment.
Later, Rebecca finally stopped coming alone–a man accompanied her, her husband.
She told me she was moving far away and couldn’t visit me every week anymore. I floated up to the branches and shook down a blooming magnolia flower into her hands.
“Magnolia petals dance in gentle breeze, just like dear friends who stay with me…”
Rebecca looked at the flower in her hands, her tears turning to smiles as she left with my blessing and hope for the future.
From weekly visits, it became once every Christmas.
When Rebecca, who had once been lonely, came to see me again, she had a companion by her side and a little child following behind.
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I felt comforted–how wonderful! The child who had once been trapped in that high–rise now lived a prosperous life, wanting for nothing.
Later still, Rebecca told me that Freya had passed away.
Her parents also died of illness shortly after, one after the other, and the child Yoseph had been raising was taken back by Oscar’s
parents.
The day after the child was taken away, Yoseph jumped from the thirtieth floor and died instantly.
I lowered my head, drawing circles on the ground.
Life is a circle, and now they had all said goodbye to me.
Gradually, Rebecca’s child grew up too.
When they greeted me, the magnolia tree would sway back and forth with creaking sounds.
I didn’t know how many Christmases had passed since my death -my soul grew more and more transparent, and my movements became increasingly uncontrollable.
“Rebecca! Goodbye, Rebecca! Goodbye, little one!”
Now it was time for me to say goodbye too!
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I waved farewell to Rebecca, and in the moment before I was about to disappear, I saw Rebecca with tears in her eyes, waving back at me:
“Freya… goodbye! In our next life, let’s be sisters again!”
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