Page 52 of Wildflowers and Wide Receivers

“Yes. Although she passed away a long time ago.”

Vivi’s quiet as she thinks about this. I know kids see things more in black and white. Either you have something or you don’t, but for Vivi, I know Sophie wants her to see she still has a mom. She’s just not here anymore.

“How old were you when she died?”

“I was seventeen.”

Sophie catches me looking at her. This is something else I didn’t know about her, but now I do. I know she can see the sorrow that has taken over my face. I don't feel pity for her. I’m just sad for what she experienced and what she lost.

“How did she die?” Vivi asks.

“She got cancer.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, it all happened pretty quick.”

Vivi rolls onto her side and looks at Sophie. Sophie rolls to match her, and the two of them stare at each other. It’s taking everything in me not to reach over and pull them both in close.

“My mom died quick, too.”

“I heard,” she tells her, and then Sophie brushes a few pieces of hair off Vivi’s face and tucks them behind her ear. “Why don’t you tell me three things about your mom?”

“My mom liked to sing and dance. She always had music playing and would dance while she cooked.”

“That’s so fun,” Sophie tells her. “Now I know where you get all of your dancing talent from.”

She giggles. “But she didn’t sing very good. My dad used to make fun of her, but she didn’t care.”

“As she shouldn’t have. I love that your mom used to sing because it made her happy. You should always do the things that make you happy, no matter what anyone else thinks. Okay, tell me something else.”

“She used to braid my hair.”

I stop breathing, and my chest aches. I remember her hair always being styled, but I didn’t know this was something she thought about. She never mentioned it.

“Do you know how to braid hair?” she asks Sophie.

“Well, it hasn’t been something I’ve ever really needed to do, but I will practice so I can braid yours next time I see you. How about that?”

“I like a fishtail braid.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me? You do like dolphins.”

“I do. My stuffed dolphin, her name is Coral. My mom bought her for me.”

“That might be the best name I’ve ever heard for a dolphin.”

“There’s a real one named Coral at the aquarium. My mom took me to see her once.”

She looks over Vivi’s head. “Which aquarium?”

“Clearwater,” I answer, my voice rough.

She looks back at Vivi. “Oh, I’ve heard that’s a nice aquarium. They used to have a dolphin named Winter.”

“I saw the movie. The first one and the second.”

“Of course you did. Kind of cool what they did for his tail, huh?”