Stone Circle Let's go back to the start

her brother was there, beside her, and she smiled at him affectionately. he too asked of their missing mother, and of hazel. there absence unerved the girl, and she looked to Steady eagerly, awaiting an explaination with hopeful eyes. however, what he told her she did not expect. she could not comprehend. mama was hurt? hurt was bad. already her expression fell, yet at his next words her expression grew bewildered. 

seven weeks. that was all the time she had had with her mother, yet it felt like forever. only recently had she even begun talking, understanding, and now this. her brow furrowed. mama was hurt. too hurt? that was bad. gone? mama couldn't be gone, mama always came back, didn't she? "gone?" she echoed back desolately, looking at Steady with a bewildered, upset expression. what did he mean?