Celeste (Gemini 1)

She didn't move, and I poked her harder. Noble was crying hysterically in the corner now, still hiding his face. squatting. I shook her as hard as I could, and finally, I saw her hand twitch and then her arm move as she moaned and turned slowly toward me.

She looked at me, closed her eyes, and opened them again. "Mommy, what's wrong with you?"

"Just help me sit up," she said. and I got behind her and started to push on her shoulder.

"Noble. help." I called.

He looked at us but turned away quickly, still too frightened to move.

Mommy managed to sit and catch her breath.

"I'm all right. Noble. I'm all right. Don't be frightned," she said. "Go to the bathroom. Celeste, and run a washcloth under the faucet. Cold water only. Wring it so you don't drip all over the floor and bring it back to me. Go an," she ordered. and I did it quickly.

When I returned, she was on the sofa, her head back. Noble was sitting now, sitting and staring at her. I gave her the washcloth, and she put it over her forehead.

"I'm all right," she said, seeing how terrified I still was. "I'm all right."

"What happened. Mommy?"

She just shook her head, her lips trembling. She wouldn't talk. I sat beside her and held her hand. Noble finally rose and came to us. He buried his head in Mommy's lap and she ran her hand over his hair and his neck.

We sat there Eke that for a long time. Noble actually fell asleep. Mommy lifted him in her arms and carried him upstairs to the room we shared. He was so tired he barely opened his eyes as she undressed him and put on his pajamas. Then she kissed him and hummed one of the songs her mother and her grandmother had hummed to her to help her sleep. I stood by, feeling forgotten. Finally she realized it.

"You get to bed. too. Celeste. Go wash your face and brush your teeth," she told me and left, seemingly floating down the stairs.

I went to the bathroom to do what she said. but I didn't get into my pajamas right afterward, Instead. I stood by the window and looked out at the road that led to our house. Way off in the distance I could see the headlights of an automobile. It's Daddy. I thought, finally coming home. It's Daddy driving his truck.

Whatever it was that had gripped my heart relaxed and loosened its hold as I watched the headlights get brighter and bigger the closer the vehicle came. I was so full of joy again. I thought I could dance like the stars seemed to be dancing earlier in the evening, but when I looked up. I noticed that even the stars were one now. The heavy clouds that had earlier begun to cover the moon had continued unfolding across the sky.

It would rain tonight. I thought. Most of the time. I liked the sound of rain at night. The pitterpatter on our windows put me to sleep. but I didn't want rain. I wanted to see the bright, happy sky again. especially when Daddy came home.

However, as the vehicle turned into our driveway. I saw it wasn't a track after all, and it was an automobile that was a much lighter color than Daddy's car. Who was it? I wondered. I saw someone get out and approach the house.

Curiosity drew me to our bedroom door and then to the top of the stairway when I heard our door buzzer ring. Mommy seemed to take forever to go to the door. The buzzer sounded a second time. I almost went down the stairs myself to see who it was, but finally I saw her walk to the door, her head down. She opened it slowly and stepped back, nodding as if she knew exactly who it was and why he had come.

When the man entered. I recognized Mr. Calhoun. He stood there with his cap in his hands.

"Sarah," he began.

"Where is he?" Mommy asked quickly.

"At the hospital," he said without wondering how Mommy knew something was wrong,

"The hospital," she repeated. "It all happened so quickly."

"When did he die?" she asked. Mr. Calhoun lowered his head.

"When did he die!" she screamed.

"About an hour or so ago," he replied. "They wanted to phone you, but I said it wasn't something to tell someone on the phone, so I volunteered to come out here. Did someone call you after all?"

She shook her head. "No," she said.

"No? But--" He looked down and then up at her again. "Im so sorry. It makes no sense to anyone. The doctor looked like he had lost his hands or something when he came out to tell us"

"What happened to Arthur?What did the doctor tell you?" she asked, still not crying.

"Some massive hemorrhaging... a cerebral aneurism, they called it. How a man that healthy could suddenly... they made it sound like getting a flat tire... an artery ballooning and bursting. I don't understand. One minute he was talking animatedly to the general contractor on the project, and the next he was... collapsed. We tried CPR immediately, of course, and sent for an ambulance. They did the best they could at the hospital. We got him right into the emergency room. and..." He looked down at the floor and then shook his head and took a deep breath.