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“You shouldn’t let the child eat that much sugar before bed,” Nana Pratt’s voice interrupted my thought spiral.
“Were you spying through the window?” I asked.
“I only wanted to check on Renee.”
I gave her a knowing look. “Renee isn’t asleep in my kitchen.”
“Fine. I don’t like drifting that high. I prefer to stay close to the ground. Any higher reminds me I’m a ghost.”
“You don’t want a reminder?”
“No, I prefer to think of myself as still human.”
“That’s part of the reason you’re still tethered to this plane; you know that, right?”
Nana Pratt curled her lip. “I don’t care to continue this conversation. How’s Renee?”
“No change. I’m going to get ready for bed and try to get a good night’s sleep so I can think better tomorrow.”
“It’s kind of you to let them sleep upstairs. I can tell it isn’t easy for you—letting people in.”
“Renee needs help,” I said simply.
“Ray is trying not to show it, but I can tell he’s on edge,” Nana Pratt said.
“I don’t blame him. It’s horrible to watch someone you love suffer when you know there’s nothing you can do to help them.”
Nana Pratt regarded me. “Sounds like you have personal experience.”
I didn’t care to continue this conversation either. I stood and walked back toward the front door. “Ray knows I’m doing everything I can, right?”
“Of course he does.”
Satisfied, I opened the door and retreated inside.
Now dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants, Alicia was waiting for me on the bottom step of the staircase. “What were you doing out there?”
“Collecting my thoughts. Why aren’t you in bed?”
“I don’t know how I feel about sleeping next to my mom when she’s … like that. What if I catch it?”
“I don’t think it works that way.”
Alicia remained rooted to the step. “What if she wakes up and I’m right next to her? She won’t like that. She’ll call me a baby for wanting to sleep with her.”
“Studies have shown that when someone is in a coma, the voices of family members can increase their level of consciousness. I think it would be good for your mom if she knew on some level that you were right there with her.”
Alicia gripped the banister and pulled herself to her feet. “Then I’d be helping her by sleeping next to her.”
“Exactly.”
“Okay. I’ll do that.” She started to turn and stopped abruptly. “Where will you sleep?”
“I’m going to unroll my sleeping bag downstairs to give you privacy.”
Alicia laughed. “This place is a castle. You could have a squatter living upstairs and not know.”
“Fine, I’d like to give myself privacy.”
