These Dreams of You

~ ~ ~

Zan says to the nanny, “Viv arranged it?” Sheba is about to fall asleep, her eyes drooping. “Don’t let her fall asleep,” says Parker to Molly.

“Parker,” Zan says to the boy’s tone, but then to the woman, “I’m afraid he’s right. She’ll nap half an hour and be up the rest of the night. They’ve still got some jetlag anyway.” Molly rustles Sheba a few blinks back into consciousness, turning up the radio in the seat beside her; she moves the knob from station to station until she finds the song. Sheba’s head perks up. “Oh my god, seriously?” Parker groans from half-sleep; Sheba looks at Molly and smiles. We can be heroes just for one day. “I like this song!” says Sheba.

“I know,” Molly smiles back.

You know? thinks Zan. “You heard from Viv?”

“Well,” the nanny seems to sort through her sentences over the song, “not directly. Through a friend. A friend of a friend in Addis.” She sings softly along with Sheba and stares out the window of the train.

“But when?” says Zan.

“A few days ago, I think it was?” She says, “No, of course it must have been longer than that. A week or more?”

“A friend of a friend? Can I contact this person?”

“It’s difficult,” Molly nods, “very poor mobile service, you know, and email. . ” and turns back to the window.

“I ask because I haven’t heard anything from her in days.”

“I am certain that she is all right,” Molly answers,

“as long as she remains in Addis Ababa.”