Aunt Santa

Chapter 7

BB insisted on wearing the red hat while she slept and Sara found it difficult to argue. She couldn't really say the hat was dirty from being outside when it looked as if it had never been worn. There wasn't a speck of dirt to be found, not even on the white trim.

In the bathroom mirror, BB studied herself and her new find. It made for an odd look with her princess pajamas but seemed to also fit her small head perfectly. She met Sara's eyes in the mirror as her aunt brushed her teeth. "I'm going to sleep in my room tonight."

"You are?" Sara almost choked on her toothpaste. "Okay, sure. Of course, you can sleep in your room."

BB nodded decisively. She picked up her toothbrush and started to brush her teeth as Sara stared. BB hated brushing her teeth before bed. The other night, she'd told Sara that she didn't like erasing "all the good cookie tastes."

Sara tried not to overthink it as she used the candle to guide BB to her room and tucked her into the narrow bed under a pile of thick blankets. Mo had thought her daughter would need a night or two before settling into her own room at night. Maybe enough time had passed for her to get used to the place.

"I'm going to go get the lantern and I'll leave it in the corner for you." The small, battery-operated camping lantern had served as their nightlight. The house was always extremely dark at night but seemed even darker now without any power.

"That's okay," BB said sleepily as she nestled against the pillow. She pulled the red hat more firmly down over her forehead, her eyes drifting closed. "You can keep it in your room. I don't need it."

For the second time that night, Sara stared at her niece.

Bedtime was usually a production for BB. There were negotiations over the number of books read, sudden inspiration to get a second glass of water or to try going to the bathroom again, "just in case." But tonight, she seemed to have fallen asleep before Sara had even set the candle down.

Maybe it was the walk in the cold air, she thought as she blew out the candle and stepped out of the room.

She knocked on the door to Sam's room and poked her head in. "You need anything, Sammy?"

"No." He barely looked at her. The camping lantern in his room was perched over his shoulder to light the graphic novel he'd picked up at the bookstore.

"Okay. Good night."

"Night." The word came out with a sigh.

The next morning, Sara woke up before dawn and headed downstairs to make a plan. They would have a whole day's worth of activities to keep them occupied if it killed her.

Another walk in the morning, she thought. And that would be perfect for the craft idea she'd had in the middle of the night. They could make gifts for Mo and Billy out of pine cones and other things they found on their walk.

They'd bought a new board game and a puzzle from the bookstore, so they could do that in the afternoon. And maybe she could convince Sam to help her cook dinner. He used to like helping her in the kitchen when he was younger.

Over pancakes, she announced her plans for the day. BB nodded gamely, trying to keep the end of her red hat out of the syrup as she ate. Sam stabbed at his pancake. "Can't we go back to the bookstore? I can charge my phone there."

"We can do that in the afternoon, sure. That's a good idea." Sara mentally shifted the list around in her head. They could play the game after dinner. "What kind of ornament do you think you can make, BB?"