Valor

Chapter 37

* this chapter and the next are short flashbacks while Lilah is unconscious 

"Ok, are you sure you got it down?" I ask, still wary that she's going to mess it up again.

"Yes Lilah! I know it I promise!" Sarah says, a big grin on her face. She's missing one of her front teeth so the smile is a little funny, but it only makes me laugh more.

"Ok, ok. Ready?" I ask as we both sit cross-legged on the carpet in the living room.

Sarah has a look of concentration on her face, her brows furrowing as she looks down at her hands, going through the motions one final time. She's wearing her favorite dress, it's blue and yellow and she says it reminds her of snow white. I did her hair in pigtails this morning, which by now, are barely hanging on after her day of running around.

She gives me a nod and looks up with her hands in her lap, her face so serious for someone so little. She's barely seven, and yet right now she looks like she's lived a lifetime.

"Ok..." I say, staring to move my hands through the motions.

"Miss mary mac, mac, mac,

All dressed in black, black, black,

With silver buttons, buttons, buttons,

All down her back, back, back,

She asked her mother, mother, mother,

For fifty cents, cents, cents,

To see the elephants, elephants elephants,

Jump over the fence, fence, fence,

They jumped so high, high, high

They touched the sky, sky, sky,

And they didn't come back, back, back

'Til the fourth of July, -ly, -ly."

We finish the song with our hands clapping together and instantly Sarah is jumping up on her feet and cheering at our success. She starts dancing, even though there is no music, jumping on the couch and doing the disco on the chairs.

I can't help but let out a giant laugh, rolling on my back and giggling at her antics.

Without warning she jumps on top of me, making me let out an 'oompf.'

"I love you Lilah." She says, wrapping her arms around my neck and nuzzling into my neck. I wrap my arms around her tiny torso, inhaling her soft clean scent.

"I love you too."