The door has just opened and Jeanette has come in to ask for a cigarette.
“Mama knows I smoke but she wants me to ask for a cigarette so I won’t smoke too much.”
I grin and give her a cigarette and I pull my legs up on the sofa to make room for her. She’s wearing a white negligée and she’s going to fill it out nicely one day soon but right now she’s not quite ready for it.
“You didn’t get up and come to see me just to ask for a cigarette, did you?”
She smiles and lights her cigarette.
“I didn’t want you to be scared.”
“I’m not scared, Jeanette.”
She looks down at her cigarette and I know she’s going to stay and that she wants to talk.
“Maybe it’s me, maybe I’m scared. Or maybe I just need to be with you.”
She’s young but she’s growing up and I wish she had time to grow-up naturally but I can try to make the transition as smooth as possible.
I sit up and I put my legs down over the front of the sofa and reach out for her and we hug one another.
“We’re not going to be gone long and when we come back we’ll have the baby to take care of and we’ll have to find room in the attic for her nursery.”
“We’ll do it together and I’ll help you with her, Aunty Christina, I promise I will.”
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