Page 67 of Maple Mountain
“I’ll finish cleaning up,” he said.“Thanks for cooking.”
Nodding, I dashed up the stairs and hid in my room for the rest of the evening.
I was still awake at one in the morning.The time on my phone mocked me.
There were two choices: get up and make myself chamomile tea or toss and turn for several more hours.
With a sigh, I flung the covers off me.There was no warm little body next to mine.Mildred had decided to sleep with Lenni again.
I threw on a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt and padded quietly from the room.I was about to hit the stairs when I heard the unmistakable sound of someone trying to cry without disturbing anyone.
I was glad I was awake now.
I raised my fist to Lenni’s door and rapped on it.
A moment later, I heard a watery, “Come in.”
I opened the door to darkness.
“You mind turning on the lamp?”I asked.“I can’t see a thing.”
The lamp flicked on.Lenni was sitting with her back against the headboard, Mildred in her arms.
Mildred’s tail thumped in happiness to see me.
I closed the door and crept toward the bed.“May I sit?”
She nodded.
I sat and curled my legs up under me.Mildred wriggled from Lenni’s embrace and came to me.She rolled over and I stroked her belly.
“Did I wake you up?”Lenni sniffed.
“Nah, I was already awake.Turns out I have a hard time sleeping without Mildred.”I waited for Lenni to talk, not wanting to push, just wanting to be there for her.
“I forgot,” she whispered.
“Forgot what?”
“Forgot that she was dead.”It came out in a hiccough.
“And you were having fun,” I said.“With Archer.”
She paused for a moment and nodded.“And with you.It felt like we were a real family.But we’re not, are we?”
“Families come in all shapes and sizes,” I said, my tone gentle.“We’re spending Thanksgiving with Hadley and Salem.Are we related to them?No.But they’re still family.Don’t you think?”
“I guess.”
I sighed.“I don’t want to talk around issues.So, I’m just gonna say it.”
“Okay.”
“Look at me.”
Lenni turned her eyes to mine.
“It’s okay to be sad.It’s okay to cry.But it’s also okay to be happy.I didn’t know your mom, but I do know what moms are like.And I know that yours would want you to be happy.”
