taken care of her."
"I couldn't have done otherwise. No one would
have expected less, but it's not enough to guarantee
they'd agree with us. Na. we'll have to face the music
one way or the other eventually. I'm afraid. Best we
can hope for is putting it off as long as we can.
Maybe, just maybe she's grown up some. too." I looked down. I was happy she included me by
saving "we," but I had no false hope about Rhona
having changed for the better. Just the little I had seen
of her had already sickened me. I didn't have the heart
to disagree. however.
"You just make sure Echo is okay." she
continued. "If you see something bad happening,
come right to me. Don't be afraid and don't hesitate.
I'm happier than ever that I have you here to do all
this with me."
I nodded, tears building in my eyes.
"You're a sweet child," she said. "Your parents
were lucky folks and I'm sure you were lucky to have them. too. But you see how unjust things are with their being gone too early? We can't depend on the right things always happening on their own. We have to do our best to ensure they do and that's all we can
do. I think you already know all that."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Eat up. I know you won't have any of my
homemade apple pie,.'
"Maybe just a small piece." I said. relenting. "I don't put all that much sugar in it like starebought pies."
"I know, Thank you."
She smiled and we finished eating silently, both
of us lost for a while in the hopes and the dreams that
gave us reason to go on.
I enjoyed the pie, helped clean up, and then
went up to my room. As the hours marched by and I