Night Sky Read Free Page A

check that it was locked—something Mom had trained me to do long before I was Sasha’s age. Outside, the night was dark and silent.
    â€œOr if I just get scared or something?” Sasha asked as I checked to make sure her collection of night-lights was on.
    â€œOr if you just get scared,” I answered.
    Sasha sat up. “Unless you want to stay and watch my dollies dance!”
    I gently pushed her back down. This kid was a procrastinator when it came to bedtime, because she was so afraid of the dark. She’d make her dolls perform an entire Broadway show if it meant I’d stay in her room a little bit longer. “I’d love to see your dollies dance,” I replied. “But it’s time for bed now, so we’ll have to play with them another day.”
    â€œNo!” Sasha shook her head fast and sat up in bed again. “They don’t dance during the day! Only at night!”
    I pushed her down again, this time sitting beside her on the bed and pinning her down with the blankets. “Well, maybe you’ll have a good dream tonight about your dollies dancing. That way, you won’t have any time for nightmares.”
    Sasha belly-laughed. “But you don’t get it!” she exclaimed through giggles. “They don’t dance in my dreams. They dance before I fall asleep! Like this!” She wiggled out from beneath the covers and sat up once more, letting her head loll forward, her arms outstretched like a puppet on strings as she shifted her body back and forth.
    I laughed, mostly because the idea of those dolls dancing like that would’ve made Calvin freak. “Wow. That’s amazing. I wish I had dolls that danced around my room at night. But it’s late.”
    â€œI’ll show you next time,” Sasha said, her eyes suddenly solemn.
    â€œOkay,” I said, “but right now, it’s time for all little girls and dolls to stop dancing and start sleeping. Because tomorrow you have to be up early for school.”
    â€œEw!” Sasha said, her nostrils flaring.
    â€œI know. School is ewwy.”
    â€œNo, no. Eeeeew . What’s that smell ?”
    I sniffed the air and the stench hit me. Like something had died and then come back to life just so that it could die again and double the stink. I mean, it was intense .
    â€œOh my lord, Sasha, for real ? Did you just fart ?”
    Sasha had her hands over her nose, looking like she didn’t know whether to laugh or throw up. “Nuh-uh!” she exclaimed, her voice muffled through her fingers. She burrowed her face into her teddy bear and made a groaning sound, like breathing the air was physically painful.
    It was. My eyes were literally watering . “Well, it wasn’t me!” I exclaimed, gagging before I covered my own nose and mouth with my hands. “Good God! You are never getting too-too chocolate milk again, woman!”
    She laughed.
    The awfulness was fading, but I was still thinking about maybe hurling—or at least offering a dry heave or two to the Gods of Terrible Odors—when Sasha initiated a tickle war.
    â€œDon’t!” I warned her, trying to catch her hands, but the gasping breath I took was filled with fresh, clear, un-stankified air, and I immediately recovered.
    Before long, the two of us were hysterical, a jumble of arms and legs on Sasha’s bed, giggling and out-tickling each other until finally we lay there exhausted.
    â€œIt’s gone,” Sasha said. “The smell is.”
    I turned my head to look at her. “Thank goodness. You’re nasty.”
    She giggled. “ You’re nasty!”
    I stood up, fixed the girl’s covers, and planted a big ol’ kiss on her forehead. “Go to bed,” I said.
    â€œGood night, Sky,” Sasha said.
    â€œGood night, Sash.”
    I didn’t realize it then, but I should have said good-bye.
    â€”
    Things went south fast, starting late on Monday