yours? I wondered, and then I wondered if it was
selfish of me to think about such a thing. All my short
life. I had known only sharing with Noble. I suppose
nothing would seem right for me if it weren't that way
always.
It was a good day, I decided. I could hear
Mommy and Mr. Kotes below, their voices muffled, but occasionally their laughter louder. I struggled to keep my eyes open because I kept hoping Daddy would appear again. Why did he have to stand in a corner, and why did he go so quickly? I wondered. Again, it made me question whether or not I had really seen him. Mommy's explanation about his giving me something special made sense, and yet it surprised me that she couldn't see him. too. Maybe I had wanted to so much. I just imagined it. I thought
sadly.
My eyes closed and opened, closed and opened.
Vaguely. I thought I heard the sound of footsteps on
the stairway. I heard whispering, and then I heard
Mommy's bedroom door open and close. I tried to
stay awake to listen more, but sleep was like a heavy
black sheet being drawn over me. Try as much as I
wanted. I couldn't push it away.
At least not until I heard the sound of Mommy
screaming at someone. It came from downstairs, "What are you saying?' she was shouting.
"What are you saying?"
My eves snapped open. and I looked around,
surprised that it was still very dark. The clock said
two thirty-five. Why was Mommy talking to someone
on the phone this late? I gazed over at Noble, but he
was still, his back to me.
I rose slowly and went to the doorway.
Mommy's voice was shrill now, and she sounded like
she was crying and saying, "No, no, that can't be." Slowly, I emerged from the room and started
down the stairway. I heard her hang up the phone and
then go into the living room. I reached the bottom of
the stairway just as she started shouting again,
shouting. I first thought. at Mr. Kotes.