When I woke up in the spare bedroom at Nana and Pa's house, it was dark outside. I was still exhausted. I had no idea what time it was.
Mom was sitting beside me and smoothed the hair from my face and said, "Shhh . . . It's okay. Close your eyes. I'm sure they hurt."
"They're killing me. I feel so dehydrated, like a slug dried with salt."
"Drink some water." Mom's strong arms lifted me up and tilted the glass to my mouth. I drank it all without opening my eyes. She laid me back down and got up. I felt the light shine across my face as the door opened and Mom walked out.
"She woke up for a minute. I got her to drink some water. Her eyes are so swollen. Should we try to get her to eat?"
I heard Nana say, "I will make you both some soup."
A little later, Nana sat a tray on the bed with bowls of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich cut in half with two glasses of milk. She sat on the twin bed across from us. Mom and Pa came into the room, each carrying a bowl of soup in their hands.
I covered my face and could barely talk.
"Eat your soup," Mom replied. I moved my hands to my cheek and looked at her equally tired face. "Yes Ma'am."
I pulled my soup bowl close and blew on it. "Can we sleep here tonight, Mom?"
"You bet, Kiddo," she said with a slight chuckle. "We can sleep here all week if you want."
The soup felt so good going down. I had my favorite quilt over my legs, held the soup close to me and sipped one spoonful after the other.
"Do you want some more?" Nana asked when I had finished. I nodded.
I had one more bowl of soup and then moved out to the sofa. Pa sat beside me. I leaned over and rested against his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me.
"It's going to be fine," he said.
"How do you know that?"
He took a long breath in. "Cause your Pa will always be here to take care of you."
I closed my eyes and fell fast asleep next to Pa.