Chapter 17:
Three days later, Ramona was working in her garden, going back and forth between playing Frisbee with Cooper, and ripping plants from her garden. "What are you doing?" her dad asked as he stepped out of the house.
"Ripping apart the garden. I completely neglected it this summer, so I'm just ripping it all out, so I can start new next year," Ramona said, stopping briefly to look at her dad and also to wipe the sweat dripping from her hairline.
"I just want you to know, that I'm proud of you. I'm proud that you've stopped watering dead plants," her father said, patting her on the back. "Love you kiddo."
"Love you too, Dad," Ramona said, wrestling the Frisbee out of Cooper's mouth and throwing it across the yard. Her dad went back inside, leaving her to rip apart her garden. It was therapeutic, stabbing the dirt with her little trowel. She dug up the last plant, shoving all the plant carcasses into a plastic trash bag.
Hours later, Ramona settled down in bed, pulling the covers back so Cooper could snuggle with her. Knowing the other side of her bed wasn't vacant, helped her sleep at night. Before, when she'd wake up in the middle of the night, she'd cuddle up to James. Now, when reality catches up to her in her dreams, she cuddles up to Cooper.
Her brother had stopped plaguing her dreams, no longer nagging her from beyond. She'd stopped visiting him, knowing that he was with her even if she didn't spend hours sleeping next o his grave. Instead, it was James that stalked her in her sleep. She dreamt of him apologizing, proving his love for her. When she'd wake up, she'd want to go back to him, forgive him for what he'd done. It pained her to force herself to realize, once again, that it was a dream.
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Better Hollow {Finished}
Teen FictionFor six years, Ramona Simmons has felt a void. She's vowed to avoid vulnerability, spending her time perfecting a facade. Ramona's the perfect student, perfect daughter, but it eats at her that she wasn't the perfect sister. She doesn't speak her mi...
