Ashley looked up at the stars again. They twinkled and winked at her from their places in the sky. She saw one that burned brighter than the others. Maybe that was the star Peter Pan had talked about.
A nearby owl did a loud HOOT! And it was followed up with a howl. Probably those crazy old wolves. A few weeks ago, the sound would have scared Ashley. But now… now the sounds were part of home. They comforted her and sang her to sleep each night.
She could feel her neck cramping. Her head was still resting on Kari’s. But Ashley didn’t want to move. She didn’t want the moment to end. This very special meteor moment.
“Well…” Dad broke the silence. “I am going to clean up the kitchen.” He stood, stretched and folded his chair. “That was an extraordinary show. Thanks, Kari. For keeping the countdown going.” He made his rounds, squeezing shoulders and kissing foreheads. “Love you, kiddos. More than anything.”
Mom stood as well and Dad grabbed her chair, too. “I’ll come help.” Mom touched Ashley’s head. “Love you, kids.”
Brooke sighed and moved to her feet. “I should probably go inside, too. I still have homework.”
Ashley felt a sudden panic. “No, Brooke. Please stay!”
Mom put her hand on Brooke’s shoulder. “Stay, honey. For a few more minutes. Homework can wait.”
Brooke settled back down onto the blanket. “You’re right. I’ll stay.” She motioned for Ashley and the others to spread out. “Lay on your backs. Let’s look at the stars!”
Forever Ashley would remember Brooke staying with them this way. She and Kari and Erin and Luke all did as she said.
“It’s kinda chilly!” Erin’s teeth chattered.
Ashley handed her one of the blankets. “Here. This will help.”
“The moon looks like a basketball.” Luke pointed up. “I bet I could slam dunk on the moon. No gravity.”
“True. It would be a boring game, though.” Brooke slowed down her words. “Everyone… would… play… in… slow… motion.”
Erin giggled. “That would be boring. You think there are animals up there?”
“What would they eat?” Kari looked at Erin.
“Cheese!” Luke’s voice echoed through the backyard, making him and all the sisters laugh out loud. “The moon’s made of it. At least, that’s what one of the kids in my class said.”
Erin sat up a little and looked at Luke. “I bet moon cheese is good.”
“I don’t think it’s cheese.” Brooke was still laughing.
Ashley turned to Brooke. “What exactly is it?”
“Well… technically it’s a rock. And it’s white ’cause the sun shines on it. So, it looks like it’s glowing in the dark, but actually it’s just being lit up by the sun.” Brooke paused. “I read about it in my science book.” She turned back to Kari. “What do you think it is?”
Kari looked up. “I think it’s God’s night-light.” She turned to Ashley. “What about you, Ash? What do you think it is?”
Hmm, Ashley thought. The moon seemed like a lot more than a big rock. She smiled at her sister and then she looked up at the moon for a long time. She thought about how big it was. How bright it was. And then she thought about Dot. And the song. The moon really was so special. They wrote movies and songs about it. People put the moon in books and in jokes. She thought how the moon could be seen at some point by people all over the world.
In fact, maybe tonight, her Michigan friend, Lydia, was staring at the moon, too. For that matter maybe Landon and Natalie, Elliot and Mr. Garrett and even Chris were looking at the moon right now. The same one Ashley and her siblings were looking at.
Which made Ashley feel like they were with her somehow.
In her heart.
She pictured Dot staring at the moon tonight singing her “Blue Moon” song. Yes. The moon really was special.
“Ashley? Did you hear the question?” Kari looked over at her. “What do you think it is?”
“The moon?” Ashley took a breath. “It’s Neverland. I think it really might be.”
They were all quiet, thinking about that. Erin broke the silence. “Look! That star cluster looks like Mom’s cat clock!” Erin pointed up.
Ashley laughed. Erin was right! The stars looked just like the clock they’d bought and then broke… for Mom’s birthday.
“That gift was a cat-astrophe.” Luke’s joke made all of them laugh out loud.
Brooke pointed another direction. “The Big Dipper!”
Ashley grabbed her sketchbook.
“What are you doing?” Kari rolled onto her side and watched.
“I have to get this down.” Ashley took a pencil and began to sketch. “Before I forget.”
“What is it?” Kari put her hands under her head.
Ashley didn’t answer. She was lost in thought. Thanks to the moonlight, she could see the paper clear as day… so she got to work. She wanted to draw tonight. Her siblings, from God’s viewpoint. She sketched them all on their blanket, heads close, watching the meteor shower.
Still young. Still together.
If she didn’t finish the sketch, she might forget. And when kids forget what it’s like to be young, they wake up one day as adults.
“I wanna see it!” Kari poked Ashley’s shoulder. “Show me.”
Ashley stared at the drawing. She loved it.
“Here.” She turned it around and showed it to Kari. Brooke and Luke sat up to see it, and Erin climbed over Kari to get a better view.
“Wow. Ash…” Kari’s eyes grew wide.
“It’s us.” Luke said in a tone so soft and sweet, it almost sounded poetic.
Brooke reached over and squeezed Ashley’s hand. “It’s perfect.”
“Look!” Kari gasped and pointed up. “A shooting star!” They all laid on their backs again, keeping their eyes open for more.
They spent a few more minutes laughing and stargazing and dreaming. Doing what they liked to do best as Baxter children. And in that moment, Ashley knew her contract had worked.
The worry of Monday, the stress of school, and the weight of adult life were nowhere in sight. One day they would have to answer
