As I moved my feet around in the cold pool water, watching them become distorted, it reminded me of the winter we had some years back. Winters like that never happened here, so on that occasion is was rare. “River!” My mother called as she interrupted me out of my thoughts. “Yes mam?” I replied with content. “You need to come in for dinner!””Five more minutes pleaaasseeee!?”I said making sure to stretch my pleas. She nodded her head in approval knowing how much I loved the water. That’s actually how I got my name. My mother use to live across from a river when she was younger. My mother stayed with my grandparents. All she did was sit upon their deck and stare out at the river. She said the river was like her soul, the way it flowed kinda represented her life, it always went one way and flowed into a bigger body of water. The river represented her thoughts and actions, while the big body of water represented her body and heart. My mother always had a deeper understanding of things. I guess that’s why my dad and my relatives call her Faith because as my dad likes to say; “She is one faithful girl!” My father is overseas for the next six months so I make it my mission to video chat him everyday so I can keep him up to date with everything that happens. As I grabbed my towel to dry off, I watched as the sun set among the palm trees and how vastly the light glistened on my dark and chocolate like skin. My mom said that was called melanin, you know, the glowing of dark and beautiful women. I guess that’s how my grandma Rose came up with my middle name. River Melanine Andreas. Slips right off the tongue doesn’t it? My grandmother said when I was growing up that I had always resembled my mother's honey like skin. As I began to walk inside all you could hear was the rambling of the news anchor’s from Channel 6 talking about a home invasion where a whole family was robbed at gunpoint. It’s scary to think about those types of things. If anything were to happen to my mother I don’t know what I would do with myself. As I made my way to the dinner table, I began to drown out the noises of the television, wondering what I would do if something were to ever happen like that. Where would I go? Who would I call? Where would I run to? I was interrupted out of my thoughts by my mother setting a plate on the table. She made some rice and gravy, with chicken Parmesan, and my favorite mac n cheese. My mother is the president and CEO of a huge fashion company. Sure there are perks but she travels a lot because of her schedule. It gets hard for me to get attached to people because i’m always jumping from place to place. “Mom.. as much as I appreciate it, I think me being at home is the best option. It’s a dangerous world out there and so many crazy people walking around.””Ok my river lily, as long as you’re happy.” As soon as those words slipped out of her mouth we heard a large crash. It sounded like glass breaking. Of course my mother’s instinct is to go check it out, but I give her that look knowing good and well we watch horror movies and the first person who wants to go “check something out” always gets killed first. But before I could say anything I feel a large bang on the back of my head and all I can see or hear is darkness. “Beep......Beep......Beep” went the ventilating machine. As I woke from the darkness, I blinked a couple of times to return my vision back to normal. I observed my surroundings. All I could see was the ceiling, but I knew very well I was in a hospital. I told my body to move but nothing was happening. I lay still just like a mummy. All of a sudden I heard the door open and in came a very pale lady with long black ivory hair, lips pink just like the color of bubblegum. “Hello, are you River Andreas?” she asked with a hint of content. “Yes, what happened? Why am I hear? Wheres my mom?” There were so many thoughts that raced through my head but she finally decided to speak. “Well River, your here because you suffered from a major blow to the head, you’ve been in a coma for 3 weeks.” I started to regain feeling in my body and decided to sit myself up. Three weeks. Three weeks of my life gone because I had been hit in the back of the head. “An what about my mother?” I asked with worry. By the expression on her face I could already tell that what she had to say, wasn’t what I wanted to hear. “I’m very sorry but we did everything to try to save her. She had bruises and marks everywhere on her body but she was strangled to death. Im very sorry.” Nothing but blank stare came across my face. I think she called my name but at this moment I couldn’t think about anything. Blank. I think she had got the idea that I wouldn’t to be alone because when I looked up she was gone. My mother was really gone and there wasn’t anything I could do about it. My dad caught a flight and said he would be here by in the morning. I’m glad he decided to come home, I needed to tell him about what happened to mom. All I could remember from the night was the guy who was choking me then knocked me out. I really couldn’t see their faces since their faces were covered with black mask. As I was deep in my thoughts some investigators came in to talk to me. One of the guys was tall and lean with his hair slicked back with jail. He had a bushy mustache his name tag read Oliver. The other guy was a little shorty and a bit more chubby he was bald and wore black frames. His name tag read Marshall. Both gentlemen came and pulled up a chair next to my hospital bed. Officer Oliver started:”Hello Im officer Oliver and this is officer Marshall, were both here to talk about what happened at your parents house in Palm Beach. I nodded my head as a sign for them to continue. “Well...” he started “It seems that your home was the target of a home invasion, and your mother’s death was because of her fight to defend you. It all made since now. The groups that were mentioned on Channel 6 that evening were the ones that invaded my parents house. Officer Marshall looked back and between Officer Oliver and I while he was filling me in on thee details. Luckily my dads flight landed early. He came rushing to my side examining me, telling me how much he loved me. “Hey dad” “How you doin my River lily?” He asked with pain in his eyes. My dad was a tall fellow who had the complection of Brian Mcknight except his eyes were green. I told him about what happened that night and about what happened to mom. He immediately broke down. I could tell he was trying to be strong for me, but we both ended up crying together laying their in this empty hospital room grieving. After he wiped my tears he looked up at me and said, “I just want you to know that even though i’m always working, you an your mom are my world ok? You guys make my life worth living and you make me stronger. You are the only thing I have left of your mother so I want you to make me a promise ok?” I nodded my head and waited for him to continue. “I want you to promise me that no matter where you go, what you do, or what you become , just promise that you will always do what your mother wanted you to. To be kind and strong in whatever you do.”Usually I wasn’t the one for speeches but he was right. My mother always told me to use my kindness and help people in need. I gently lay my head on his shoulder while I listened to his wishes. “I want you to promise me that no matter where you go, what you do, or what you become , just promise that you will always do what your mother wanted you to. To be kind and strong in whatever you do.”Usually I wasn’t the one for speeches but he was right. My mother always told me to use my kindness and help people in need. I gently lay my head on his shoulder while I reminisce about the good times we shared as a family. The doctor came and told me that I would be out of here by tomorrow. I made it my mission to bring justice to my mother’s grave and find the perpetrators that caused my family so much pain.