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“I guess so,” I tell her, picking at the bedcovers. “Dr. Shelby wants me to think about things that make me happy.”
“I love that. I bet you can think of a lot of things.”
Snuggling under my comforter, I nod. “Yeah.” I’m about to turn over and settle in for the night when a thought strikes me. It’s something that used to make me very, very happy. I blink, then gaze up at Mrs. Bailey with curious eyes. “Can you…sing me a lullaby?”
Her grin stretches wide, lighting up her face, just like when June smiles. “Of course. Is there anything you want to hear?”
I swallow. “My mom used to sing one to me. I can’t remember the words…but there were bluebirds and rainbows. The words made me happy, but the song sounded sad.”
“I think I know that one.” Mrs. Bailey scoots closer to me, pressing her fingertips to my forehead and brushing aside my scruffy bangs. She clears her throat. “Tell me if this is right…”
The moment she starts humming the tune, I’m drenched in familiarity. Tears rush to my eyes in an instant. “That’s it,” I croak out, my throat stinging and itchy. “That’s the lullaby.”
She stops humming and tells me, “It’s called ‘Over the Rainbow.’ It’s one of my favorites.”
“Mom didn’t sing it for a long time because she said it made her cry sometimes. But she sang it to me on the night…” My voice trails off, a tear breaking free and sliding down my cheek. “She sang it to me that night.”
Mrs. Bailey’s eyes gleam with her own tears, and she licks her lips with a quivering sigh. “Okay, Brant,” she whispers, her thumb grazing my hairline with a lingering touch. “I’ll sing it to you from now on. I’ll sing it every night until you grow too old for lullabies.”
And she did.
Every single night, until I grew too old for lullabies, Samantha Bailey would tuck me into bed, comb my hair with gentle fingers, and sing me that song. I looked forward to it. It kept me close to Mom, so she never strayed.
And then one night, I started singing it to June.
Only, I changed the words a bit.
Somewhere, over the rainbow, Junebugs fly…
5
FIRST DANCE
BRANT, AGE 10
“Have a remarkable day.”
Mr. Bailey sips his hot mug of coffee at the edge of our long, wooded driveway. He’s in a robe today, and platypus slippers, which are garnering stares from the bus driver. I didn’t even know what a platypus looked like until I saw his slippers.
“Bye, Mr. Bailey. See you after school.”
Theo runs ahead of me, climbing up the bus steps and waving over his shoulder. I hesitate briefly, my eyes stuck to the front door of the house, waiting to see if a familiar little face will wave me off. June sleeps in too late some mornings, so I don’t always see her before I leave for school.
Those are the days that are a little less remarkable.
With a sad sigh, I hang my head and pivot toward the school bus.
“Bwant! Wait!”
My heart leaps with relief.
I hear the screen door clap shut, then turn to discover June running as fast as her tiny legs will carry her up the driveway with bare feet. Aggie dangles from one hand, while the bottom of her nightdress skims the pavement. She’s a vision of whipping hair and erratic limbs.
“Brant, time to go,” the bus driver declares.
“One minute, Miss Debbie!”
Mr. Bailey shakes his head, like he’s a little embarrassed for the delay, maybe a little sorry, but he doesn’t tell me to hurry up or move along.
