It had been a day, or perhaps it had been two, could it have been three weeks already? Sanria didn't know or care. She had trudged around the cavern doing everything she normally did without seeing herself actually doing anything. She moved in a perpetual slow motion and her constant companion was the note she held clutched in her hand.
She had climbed the stairs to Orn's room and found herself staring at the little boy as he played. Suddenly, he was at her legs. "Mama."
"What is it little heart?"
"Where's Papa?"
It was as though Sanria realized for the first time she wasn't alone in this. Orn wore an expression of both confusion and anger. She could hardly bear to look at him. "I don't know, Papa went on a trip."
"He went on trip?" the little boy parroted.
"Mmhmm. On a trip."
"Where he go?" The question out of the mouth of her son was nearly more than Sanria coule bear.
"I don't know, Orn," she replied, her eyes filling with tears. "He said he had to go away and think about things. He's going away for a little while."
"You miss Papa?" Orn asked, his little hand resting on Sanria's. The tears could no longer be held back.
"I miss your Papa."
"I miss Papa too. When he come back?" Orn asked.
"In a little while, I'm sure." Sanria looked to her hands. "I hope..."
"Tomorrow?" Orn asked, his eyes wide with hope.
"We will see. Would you like to go outside?" Perhaps the change of scenery would stop the questioning and make the ache in Sanria's heart cease throbbing.
"I want go see Papa!"
"We can't, Orn. I don't know where he's gone. I'm sorry."
Orn took Sanria's hand in his. "It's ok Mama, I find Papa! We ask trees! We go see him!" Sanria frowned inwardly, how she was going to deal with Orn for however long it took Colin to come back, she didn't know. With a small sigh, she rose and let the tiny boy lead her out of the room.
