Heartsong (Logan 2)

me on the bed, putting his head on my lap. I stroked

his hair and he closed his eyes.

"When Laura and I were very little and one of

us got scared, we would lie together like this for a

while. I think we did it until we were about fourteen

or fifteen," he admitted. "It's nice having a safe haven

in a storm, whether the storm's in your heart or out

there."

"You were lucky to have each other," I said. He opened his eyes and looked up at me,

thinking. "It must have been difficult for you, growing

up alone, away from family."

I smiled.

"I had Papa George and Mama Arlene, as well

as Daddy. Sometimes, Mommy was there for me,

too."

He nodded, still thoughtful. Then he smiled. "Sing me one of those fiddle songs, a soft one,"

he asked. I laughed and then I began, singing one Papa George had taught me. It was really the prayer of a miner's wife, praying her husband would always be safe in the bowels of the earth, and it ended on a happy note because he always came up, smiling

through the coal dust.

Singing it reminded me of Daddy and I couldn't

help the tears That burned under my eyelids. But Cary

didn't notice the crack in my voice. When I looked

down at him, I saw he was fast asleep, his chest rising

and falling gently. I didn't have the heart to wake him,

so I crawled under the blanket and fixed the pillow

under his head, too. Then I reached over and turned

off the light.

Darkness fell like a heavy blanket. The moon

peeked out from between two passing clouds and sent

a ray of white light through the window, washing over

us both. Then the clouds closed and shut out the