because he could not remember where the bathroom was. Lily tried to help, became frightened herself, and Nathan found both of them in the hallway holding hands in the dark.
He did not turn on the bright overhead light.
He switched on a small lamp.
“Hey,” he said softly, crouching. “New houses are confusing at night.”
Owen wiped his face. “I forgot.”
“That’s okay. I forget where I put my keys every day.”
Lily sniffed. “Keys don’t get scared.”
“You haven’t met my keys.”
She stared at him.
Then she gave the tiniest smile.
Nathan walked them to the bathroom, then to the kitchen for water, then back to bed. He sat on the floor between their two small beds until they slept again.
In the morning, he called me.
“They stayed,” he said, voice rough with wonder.
I stood in my kitchen, looking at the dandelions long since wilted
