Daddy's Gone a Hunting

58

The red satin shoes. Mommy was dancing in them. Around and around the room. Then Mommy was bending over her, kissing her cheek.

No, it was Hannah.

I’m the one who looks like Mommy, Kate thought, still deep in the abyss of her coma. Hannah looks like Daddy. Daddy, in a small package. I hurt so much. Everything hurts…

“The fever is a serious problem.” A man’s voice, nearby…

I can hear you, Kate thought. You just don’t understand but I can hear you. Hannah, little sister, don’t worry. Something happened to me but I’m going to get better…

Daddy was singing to her. “Bye Baby Bunting”…

And they were kissing her good-bye…

Someone was touching her forehead. “I forgive you…”

Someone was praying over her.

I am going to be all right, Kate thought. If only I could tell Hannah… and then she felt herself slipping deeper and deeper into sleep…

And Mommy stopped dancing and Daddy stopped singing and… he never…

Her fever finally diminished, she slipped into a deep, restful sleep before she was able to complete her thought.