Within twenty minutes, my brother deposits us on Grandma’s front lawn.
“I’m sorry I can’t stay,” he says. “I’ve got school business that requires my attention.” He delivers a sharp wave and then drives away.
“I don’t even have any of my stuff,” Luna says, staring after Michael’s departing car. We climb the steps to the front porch.
“It’s fine. Between me and Miri, we’ll get you set up.” I push open the front door. Usher her inside. “I’m sure we have a new toothbrush stashed somewhere for occasions such as this.”
At the sound of our entry, Grandma descends the stairs. “Oh, sweet girl.” She rushes to Luna and pulls her into an embrace. Hugs her long and hard. “You must be in need of serious comfort and loving.”
“I’m doing alright,” Luna says, stepping back from my grandma.
“Of course, you are.” Grandma smiles and squeezes Luna’s upper arm. “You’re a strong soul. But even strong souls need time to cradle their wounds.” Grandma hugs Luna once again. “Can I make you some soup, or warm tea?”
“Soup sounds good. Thank you.” Luna bows her head ever slightly.
“Can Luna stay here tonight?” I ask and offer to take Luna’s jacket. I take both hers and mine and toss them over the back of the nearby sofa.
“Of course, she can. No child shall be left in the cold.” She smiles in a grandmotherly, I’m-going-to-make-everything-alright kind of way, then heads for the kitchen. I assume, to pour Luna’s soup.
We enjoy warm soup and a little chatter. Between Grandma, Miri, and me, we find night clothes and a toothbrush for Luna. Due to the limited space, the sofa is made up with a sheet and pillow to serve as Luna’s bed. I opt to take the other sofa and sleep downstairs with her, rather than in the bed with Miri.
It’s Luna’s first night in a strange place, and she has temporarily lost one parent and maybe lost the other for good. I don’t want her to feel exiled from everything and everyone else. Grandma relents and allows my choice to bunk downstairs.
I introduce Luna to my mom so that she knows, firsthand, what we are dealing with.
“I can get you your mother back,” Caleb promises, using my mom as a conduit. “Your father too. I can get them both back where they belong. You need only do one thing.”
“Don’t listen to him.” I step between my mom and Luna. “He can’t be trusted and whatever deal he tries to offer, even if he can come good on his promises, they will somehow twist in a horribly negative way for you.”
“Just like the bokor,” she says. “deceitful and evil.”
“Pretty much.”
We crash in front of the television, and even though it isn’t all that late, I find it difficult to keep my eyes open.
“It’s because of all the energy exerted through the stress and anxiety of today’s events. You may not have been terribly active physically,” Miri says. “But you spent a ton of mental and emotional energy. That can really take it out of a person.”
“Thank you for your wisdom, older sister.” I drop my head on my pillow. Stretch out across the sofa.
“Anytime young one.” She smirks and turns to Luna. “If you need anything, I’m up on the third floor.” Luna thanks her. She also relaxes across her makeshift bed.
Miri circles past the kitchen and heads up the stairs to the second level. “Got the flowers all sorted, by the way,” she calls back. “We’ll be going with simple, white roses.”
“Elegant,” Luna mumbles.
I suffer a somewhat restless sleep, and notice Luna experiences the same. She rests with her hand curled under her pillow and her gaze trained across the wide open space, staring at me.
“Sleep doesn’t want to come,” she says.
“Same,” I reply. A moment of silence passes.
“Your presence brings me peace, but right now you seem so far away,” she continues. I merely peer back, unsure how to respond. “Do you think we could rearrange the furniture? Just for tonight?”
I sit up. “What do you want to do?”
“Can we move the two sofas closer?”
I blink and stare at her, then shake my senses straight and stand. “Let’s do it.”
Together, we move the coffee table to the side of the room and shift the two sofas so that they are facing one another with a tiny gap between them. When we crawl back into our sleeping position, we are able to stretch our arms across the gap and hold hands. Her warmth washes through me by way of our touch, and my restlessness settles. Sleep finds me.
Come morning, I am groggy and anxious for a good dose of vitamin C and vitamin D. I drink the C and step outside to soak up the D.
Any sunshine will be fleeting. Rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for tomorrow.
When nine thirty arrives, Luna and I take a seat at the table, and she dials the number her uncle provided. She holds the receiver between us so that I can hear everything that transpires. The phone is answered on the first ring.
“Luna?” a man says.
“Uncle Andy,” she whispers, her hand wrapped over the receiver to muffle any sound. She removes her hand. “Yeah, it’s me,” she says. “What is it you want to tell me?”
Rolls and bangs sound in the background of Uncle Andy’s call, making it sound like he’s in the midst of a busy worksite.
“I wanted to apologize to you for the situation your parents have found themselves in.”
Bang. Grumble. Thump.
Luna’s gaze flickers from the phone to me. Her expression says everything I am thinking. What the heck? It’s hard to concentrate with all the loud noise in the background.
“Where are you?” Luna asks. “The noise is seriously distracting.”
“Sorry about that. I’m at a laundromat just outside of Westwego,” he says. “Someone put a noisy load in the dryer closest to me.”
“Westwego?” I say, a mere whisper. “Why so far away?”
“What are you doing all the way out there?” Luna asks, taking my lead. “Why not just
