After Olivia

33

Morning sunlight bathed the front of the house, seeping through blinds and curtains, painting walls and furnishings with its fiery glow. Bright streaks of light traced over pillows and bed sheets like nature's alarm clock. Fortunately for Matilda, her bedroom windows faced west, allowing her to sleep until a little before noon. She had returned home at two but lay in her bed, wide awake and thinking about her evening until well past four in the morning.

The house was quiet. She padded down the stairs and found herself alone. She cracked an egg into a bowl and stirred in some chunks of marble cheese and ham. A slice of toast and orange juice accompanied her omelet. She washed her dishes and utensils then put them back in their places to hide the evidence of her use of the kitchen.

Afternoon had begun and she was still alone. A quick message to Bill was followed by a walk to a park and the market. Two hours had passed, and she returned to the same emptiness in the house. After a quick shower, she sat in her room drying her hair and heard the sound of her mother entering through the back door, followed by what seemed like groceries being put in their place.

Matilda finished dressing then opened her bedroom door and stepped into the hallway just as Sherry had reached the top of the stairs. "Jesus! You scared the crap out of me!"

"Sorry," Matilda replied with her gaze sinking to the floor.

"No. It's fine. I just didn't expect you to be home. Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"Lou told me to enjoy the party and take the day off."

"That's nice. And did you enjoy the party? Did Bill like the dress?"

"It was amazing and yes, I think he did."

"I heard him when he was picking you up. He definitely liked the dress. It sounded like he hardly knew three words."

Matilda blushed and giggled as she recalled the expression on Bill's face. His mouth was agape and he could barely speak to say hello. As her mind lingered on the previous evening, Sherry moved towards her own bedroom.

"I went out this afternoon and got some grapes. The really big green ones," Matilda said as she followed Sherry into her room. "I put them in the fridge if you want some."

Sherry turned and gazed at Matilda. "Thank god! I thought I was going nuts! Your grandma finished the grapes last night. Made a big show of it too. 'Oh, they're so delicious, didn't you have any? You missed out.' So, when I was putting away the groceries, I saw them in the drawer there and thought I was losing my mind."

Matilda turned her eyes away as her mother pulled her shirt off over her head.

"Spilled some relish on my shirt at lunch. I didn't hear you come in last night. Was your grandmother still up?" Sherry rummaged through a drawer for a new shirt.

"Yeah, it was around two. She didn't say anything, but she gave me that look."

"Oh, yeah, THAT look. I know it well."

Matilda scurried back into her room and pulled the bracelet out of her night table drawer, then crossed the hall, back into Sherry's room. She extended her hand with the silver chain dangling from her fingers. "Thanks. I took it off before grandma saw me."

Sherry received the bracelet and gazed at it, lost in thought as she moved to the side of her bed. Matilda watched her mother sink to the floor then reach into her hiding place. The bracelet was returned to the pouch and enclosed in the box. Sherry patted the floor beside her as she called to Matilda, "Come, sit. I told you I had this..."

A cardboard box full of memories was pulled from under the bed. Once the flaps were opened, Sherry lifted the packaging from a Halloween costume from the top of the contents. "See? This is that dress you loved. And look how much she paid for it. Seventy bucks! It's really good quality, but that much for a kids costume she never wore. Not even once."