08
I fell back asleep.
This time, the ringing phone woke me up.
The ring was long.
It rang several times.
I didn’t answer, but it kept ringing.
く
Until I woke up.
I picked it up.
It was Grandma.
“Grandma!”
Grandma answered, asking, “Lily, where’s
your mother?”
I looked at Mom in bed, saying, “Mom’s
sleeping.”
“It’s so late, why isn’t she up? Is she feeling
okay?”
I felt like I found someone who understood,
telling Grandma, “I don’t know, Grandma,
Coming over right away?
Grandma lives way out in the country.
Mom and I always had to take several buses
to see Grandma.
I always threw up the whole time.
Whatever.
Grandma said right away, so it must be right
away.
While I waited for Grandma, I couldn’t find
anything to eat, so I just drank water.
The sun set.
L
“Grandma!” I opened the door, throwing
myself into her arms.
Grandma smelled good, like warm bread, like
sunshine.
Grandma caught me, asking, “Lily, where’s
your mother? Where is she?”
I didn’t understand.
Why was Grandma so scared?
I pointed to the room, saying, “Mom’s in
there, sleeping.”
Grandma took my hand, pushed the door
open, walked into the room.
<
Grandma froze.
Then, I heard Grandma yell.
So painful, so stifled.
Then, she ran to the bed, hugging Mom,
crying.
I had never seen Grandma so upset.
She was always calm, smiling, never
emotional like that.
Grandma cried so hard, it scared me.
And, the neighbors came.
The neighbor knocked on the door.
L
Seeing us, she almost fell, screaming.
“Someone’s dead! Someone’s dead!”
