A woman experiencing the death of her young daughter collects her belongings and takes them to a boarding school for donations. There she meets a child who changes her life.
The worst day of Daphne Kelly’s life was the day her daughter Rosa died. Rosa was only four years and six months old when she caught a slight cold. That was all it was, a cold.
However, Rosa was not getting any better and Daphne took her to the doctor. The doctor ran a series of tests on Rosa and Daphne realised that something was very wrong.
The doctors could do nothing to help Rosa except relieve her pain, but that soon stopped too. Daphne buried her daughter and with her her heart.
For a long time after Rosa’s death, Daphne did not allow anyone to touch anything in her little room. She wanted to believe that one day she would enter the house and Rosa would be there, smiling, laughing, alive.
Robert, Daphne’s husband, begged her to give Rose’s clothes, which were still hanging in the wardrobes, and her toys, which were still lying on the bed. “You want me to forget about her?” – Daphne shouted. “You want me to forget about my baby?”
Robert told her he wanted her to move on, to grieve, to heal. “Rose was my daughter too,” he said softly. “But I want to remember her with joy, and Daph, you’re wallowing in pain.”
“It hurts!” – Daphne shouted. “It hurts so much, can’t you see it hurts?” Robert hugged her and tried to comfort her, but overcoming the loss was something Daphne had to accept on her own.
She was going to give away Rose’s clothes, toys and books. She found out that there was a boarding school nearby. That’s where Rosa’s things would go, she thought, to the children who needed them.
Daphne began the painful work of packing Rosa’s clothes and toys into boxes. She removed all the posters and repainted the walls pale yellow instead of pink, but could not bring herself to remove some of the furniture.
Rose’s bed, cupboard and beautiful desk stayed, but with the yellow walls and the sunflower curtains she had hung, the room was very different.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” Robert said softly.
“It doesn’t look like Rose’s room any more,” Daphne whispered. “But I still want it to be a children’s room. Is that crazy?”
Robert kissed her gently. “No, my love,” he said. “It’s not crazy. Do you want me to come with you tomorrow to help with the boxes?”
“No,” Daphne said. “I want to do it myself.” But when she arrived at the boarding house, a big house run by three troublesome women, she regretted her visit.
Every box she unloaded was a little piece of Rose. Daphne began to sob until she heard a voice: “Hi! Does your stomach hurt?”
Daphne turned, wiping her cheeks, and came face to face with a little girl with a mop of dark curls and bright eyes. “No,” she said. “My stomach doesn’t hurt.”
“Oh,” said the child. “Then it must be your heart!” The little girl looked so wise and knowledgeable that Daphne had to smile.
“How do you know so much?” – she asked, and the child smiled at her. “What’s your name?”
“My name is Carly,” said the girl. “What do you have here?”
“Clothes, toys and books,” said Daphne, opening one of the boxes to show her.
Carly touched a beautiful festive dress and sighed. “Why are you giving away all these beautiful things?” – she asked.
“The little girl who owned them no longer needs them,” she explained.
Carly exulted. “What about the mummy?” – She asked impatiently. “If she doesn’t need a mummy, I’d like to have one!”
Daphne felt pain in her heart. This lonely child desperately sought love, and her heart was filled with pain! Daphne started crying, deep, heartbreaking sobs.
She cried for Rose, for herself and for Carly. When she calmed down, she sat down and talked to Carly for a long, long time. Then she went inside and talked to the woman who ran the boarding school.
She tells her that she is ready to take Carly in and eventually adopt her, if the state allows it. “We would like to find good homes for all our children,” the woman tells Daphne. “But you will have to go through the children’s services. However, if you have good housing and financial stability, it will help you.”
“I’ve even got a room ready for Carly!” – Daphne said.
“For me?” – interrupted Carly.
“Carly!” the woman said. “You shouldn’t be here! This is adult talk.”
“I want to see it!” said Carly. “I want to see my room!”
The lady looked uncomfortable. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” she said to Daphne. “If it doesn’t work out, the girl will get very hurt”.
Daphne and Carly said at the same time, “This will work!”
The woman reluctantly agreed to accompany Daphne and Carly home. Robert was amazed when he saw Daphne walking up the steps with a smile on her face and a baby in her arms.
It was the beginning of a new life for Daphne, Robert and Carly. It was not easy and Robert and Daphne had to go through many stages, but the day finally came. The adoption was approved.
Carly came home for good and slept in the sunflower room, and Daphne’s heart was finally at peace.
