Page 42

"Nothing's as happy as a house full of family," she said sadly.

The four of us gazed at each other. If she only knew how much we wanted that, too, I thought. I felt bad lying to her, and saw that Crystal was

uncomfortable about it, as well.

"The bathroom's right across the way," she explained. "Does anyone need something to sleep in? I have some pretty things to share with you girls."

"I could use something," Raven said, happy to change out of her rumpled clothes.

"I'm okay," I said, thinking I would sleep in my tee shirt.

"Me, too," Crystal added, pulling out a nightshirt from her back pack that she'd brought into the house.

Butterfly had left her things in the car and told Nana she'd like to borrow something if she could.

"I have just the nightie for you, dear," Nana said, looking at Butterfly. She went to one of the dressers and opened a drawer to produce a pink and blue nightgown with a bow at the collar. "Just the right size, I bet," she said.

Butterfly took it and looked at it as if it were gold.

"Well, now, you girls decide how you want to pair up," Nana said.

"We'll pair up as we do at the school," Crystal explained.

"Anyone need anything else?" Nana asked. We shook our heads. I was really feeling tired now, as was everyone else. "I'll get you that pretty nightgown, dear," she told Raven and left to get it.

"Look how nice this is," Butterfly said, sitting on one of the beds. "I used to sleep in a room like this when I lived with Celine and Sanford."

"I'm so tired, I could sleep on a park bench," I moaned. "See you guys in the morning."

"Is this really okay?" Crystal wondered aloud. I shrugged.

"Okay by me," I said. "It's better than the front seat of the car for sure."

"I wish this was really our home," Butterfly said, "and they were really our grandparents."

Everyone was silent, each of us agreeing in her own thoughts.

Nana returned with Raven's nightgown.

"It was mine when I was younger," she told her. "I hope you like it."

Raven's eyes were full of pleasure when she saw it and held it against herself.

"Thank you," she said, rubbing the fine white linen against her cheek, running her fingers over the tiny embroidered flowers along the collar.

*Seeing Raven in the beautiful antique gown made me wish I'd asked to borrow one too. I imagined I would feel like a princess in such a gown, but I'd had enough of pretty things and pretending. I wouldn't let myself hope for things I'd never have, never be. It was much better to be satisfied with my life as it was, that way I knew I couldn't be -disappointed.

The moment my head hit the soft, fluffy pillow, my nostrils filling with the sweet scent of flowers, I fell asleep. It was the best night's sleep I'd had in a long time, and apparently, from what everyone said the next morning, it was; the best each of them had, too.

The aroma of fresh bread, coffee, eggs and bacon was better than any alarm clock. As soon as my nose filled with the scent, my eyes snapped open and Raven's weren't far behind. In seconds my stomach was churning.

It was a beautiful morning, too. Birds were chirping outside our window. Sunshine poured through the curtains, brightening all the colors in our room. What a difference waking up here, I thought, and seeing beautiful things as opposed to waking up in that dreary room we called home for so long back at the Lakewood House.

When I poked my head out into the hallway I was surprised to see Butterfly and Crystal already heading downstairs. Raven was just emerging from the bathroom and from the look on her face I could tell that she, too, was happy to be in a nice, safe home.

"Hurry up, Sleepy," she called to me as I headed into the bathroom. "I'm so hungry I just might eat all of your breakfast, too, if you don't get downstairs soon."

I chuckled softly to myself. It was nice to have the old Raven back.