“Lexy. Come on Lexy, wake up.” a voice gently whispered.

Lexy opened her eyes and saw a bright light. “Mummy?” Slowly she sat up and looked around. She was in her meadow, the one her mother would bring her to when ever she was really scared or hurt. “Mummy?” Shakily she stood and ran toward the large willow tree that stood in the center of the great golden meadow. Right beside the glistening river that traveled through it.

Sitting beneath the tree was a beautiful woman with fiery red hair. Lily looked up and their emerald eyes locked. “Hello Lexy.”

“Mummy!” Lexy ran towards the woman and threw herself into her mother’s waiting arms.

“Shh. Hush now my darling, everything’s going to be alright. You’ll see.” Lily said soothingly. As her daughter cried.

“Really?” Lexy asked.

“Really and truly.” Lily kissed Lexy’s forehead. “You’ll have to go back, sweetheart.”

“No! I want to stay with you Mummy. Please let me stay with you. Please!” Lexy clung to Lily, never planning on letting her go.

“Lexy, baby. You know you can’t stay. I’m dead sweetheart, but you can live. You must live,” Lily wiped her own tears away and cupped her daughters face gently. “If I could I’d stay here with you forever and ever. But I can’t baby, you need to go back and grow up. So you can live and have a family of your own someday.” Lily closed her eyes and held Lexy tightly. “I never wanted to leave you my baby. Please know that I love you. Do you know that?”

Lexy nodded into her mothers robes. “I love you too Mummy. Bunches and bunches.”

Lily laughed. “And do you know how much I love you?”

Lexy shook her head while smiling up at her mother.

Lily pointed up towards the sky. “I love you all the way up to heaven,” slowly she brought her finger down to the ground, “and back.”

Lexy’s eyes widened. “That’s higher than the moon!”

Lily nodded.

Lexy smiled broadly. “What were you making?” she pointed to her mothers knitting that lay on the ground.

“Something very special.” Lily leaned back against the tree and pulled her daughter up onto her lap. “Do you know what kind of needle this is?”

Lexy shook her head.

“It’s a magic needle. With it I can make anything.” Lily held up a doll that looked like her. It even had emerald colored button eyes!

“She looks just like you Mummy!” Lexy shyly reached out and touched the doll. Her dress was silky and emerald green just like her mother’s favorite robes. And her hair seemed real! In fact it not only felt real, but it looked real. It was the exact same color as her mummy’s.

“It is real sweetheart. It’s so you can have a piece of me with you forever.” Lily said as though she had read her daughters mind. “You mean this is some of your real hair?”“Yes.”

Lexy clutched the doll tightly to herself. “Can I keep it?”

Smiling, and with a chuckle Lily nodded. “I made if for you silly. This doll was made just for you.”

Lexy smiled broadly and hugged her mini Lily tight. “Thank you Mummy. I’ll love her forever.”

Lily kissed her baby and said softly. “I know you will.” Sighing she looked up into the sky; as though something was up there that only she could see. “It’s time for you to go home sweetheart.”

Lexy sniffed and hugged her mother tightly. “Will I ever see you again?”

“Of course. I’ll always be with you. Always.” Lily stood and helped her daughter to do the same. “Lexy, I know that things are going to be hard. But I want you to know that it will get better. And I want you to promise me you won’t give up. No matter what. Do you promise?”

Lexy nodded. “I promise Mummy.”

Lily smiled. “I love you, sweetheart. Really and truly. Never forget that.”

Lexy closed her eyes to block out the bright light surrounding her mother. She clung to her doll and…

Lexy woke up.