Child Brides of India

By C. Stanton Leman

Chapter 46: Hurtful Things (Mgg, rom, cons, no sex)

Both Aleeya and Emma had spent the entire day outside together. It was a good thing I decided to call them in early because they were nowhere to be seen. I walked around to the front of the house and saw Aleeya’s dark hair darting around some wild grass and cattails down by the pond.

I placed my fingers in my mouth and whistled to them. I saw that little dark head spin around and saw her wave to me. I made wide, sweeping movements with my arm signaling for them to return to the house. Emma emerged from the bushes and they both began to make their way back to the house. I went back inside to wait for their return.

It’s a good thing I was waiting for them because when they returned, both of them had muddy shoes and were just about to enter the house when I held up my hand stopping them and pointed down at their shoes. They looked down with an “Oops” expression and sat on the deck to remove their shoes.

Both girls came with the same giggles they’d left with. I watched them for a minute or so and felt sad because I wondered how the giggling little blonde, curly haired beauty in front of me would react in a couple of hours at the funeral home.

Priya said to Emma, “Come on, Sweetie, we need to get ready to go see your mother.”

Emma replied with surprising acceptance, “Okay, Priya. Would you help me pick out something white to wear?”

“Sure,” said Priya, “I’ll wear white also. How’s that sound?”

I guess that just the thought of going to the funeral home dampened Emma’s spirits because she answered with a sullen “Okay.”

All four of us then went upstairs to shower and get ready. Aleeya and I were almost down to our underwear when she asked me, “Want to play a little?”

“No, Baby,” I replied shaking my head with a smile, “not right now, maybe later. We’ve got to get showered so that I can get ready and go. Why don’t you put on a shower cap so that your hair doesn’t get wet? We’ll shampoo it tomorrow, Okay?”

“Okay,” she said, “but promise me we can play tonight.”

“We’ll see,” I said. “Let’s take one thing at a time. Besides, you’ve got to learn to keep things quiet. Otherwise, Emma’s going to learn soon what we’re doing.”

“Yeah,” Aleeya replied, “she thinks you’re really handsome and gets tingly when she looks at you. She wanted to know what it’s like to sleep with you.”

“She did?” I asked surprised. “What’d you tell her?”

Aleeya said nonchalantly, “I told that you’ve got lots of muscles and that I feel really safe and protected when you hold me to sleep.”

“What’d she say to that,” I asked.

“Nothing much,” Aleeya replied. “She just said that she might want to sleep with you one night and see if she feels the same way.”

”I see,” I responded. “Well, don’t go giving her any ideas. Understand?”

“I won’t,” she said as we stepped into the shower.

Aleeya put on her shower cap and we showered uneventfully (unless you can call scrubbing my balls a little too roughly uneventful).

“Oops, Saaawww-reee I forgot,” was her giggled response.

(The little shit is at it again!)

“Keep it up,” I scolded her, “or I’ll scrub your little tingle button away and down the drain!”

“My gosh,” she replied, “I said I was sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Uh huh,” I said, “Just be careful next time, alright?”

Aleeya nodded she understood.

Having finished, we dried and dressed and went back downstairs, waiting for everyone else to finish getting ready. Aleeya put on a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt and I, a black suit and tie.

Mom and Dad were next and ten minutes later, Priya and Emma came downstairs wearing white: Priya a white sari and Emma a white sun dress with yellow flowers.

Mom asked Emma, “Is that what you’re wearing?”

Nodding, Emma replied, “Yes, it’s the only white dress I have and I wanted to wear white. Is this okay?”

“Sure,” Mom said. “If that’s what you want, it’s fine with me. Let’s get ready and go.”

Abby walked up behind Aleeya, placed her hands on her shoulders and said, “You guys go ahead, Aleeya and I will be just fine,” leaning over to look at her she finished with, “Right, Munchkin?”

“Right!” Aleeya said with an affirmative nod.

“Fine, let’s go,” Dad said as he grabbed his keys.

We kissed Abby and Aleeya goodbye and headed to the car.

Once at the funeral home, Priya was anxious and had a tentative look on her face when Mom said to her “Don’t worry, Priya, everything will be alright. You’re here so make the best of it. Come on let’s go inside.”

Priya and Emma held hands as we walked inside. We were the first ones there so Mom asked Priya, “Let’s go pay our respects to Liz.”

Priya silently nodded as I took Emma’s hand and waited. We watched Mom take Priya’s as they walked to the casket. Priya let out a barely audible gasp when she first laid eyes on Liz, but she and Mom knelt and prayed at the casket for several minutes and then returned to us.

I asked Priya, “Are you alright?”

She looked a little pale, but silently nodding replied, “She really does look at peace and asleep.”

Smiling, I nodded and squeezed her hand. She took Emma’s hand as they walked to the casket with Mom. Emma stood by the casket for several minutes silent then reached inside and stroked her mother’s face and said, “Mommy, I love you.”

The tears started to slowly roll down her pink cheeks and she continued, “I can see you’re happy now and with Daddy and God. You don’t have any more pain. Don’t worry, I’ll be alright. Priya, Auntie Joan, Poppy, Sean and Aleeya are taking good care of me. Can’t you see I’m happy that you’re in heaven now? I’m wearing white for you?”

She stood on the casket stand, leaned in and kissed Liz on the cheek whispering, “Bye, Mommy, I love you.”

Priya took her in her arms and gently hugged her to her breast, gently rocking her. They then took a seat near the casket and waited for the guests to arrive and give their condolences.

Priya managed to calm Emma down after a few minutes when Aunt Helen and Uncle Tom arrived. Mom was sitting next to Emma’s left with Priya on Emma’s right. When Aunt Helen looked at me, she gave me a cold, condescending look. I let it pass, but couldn’t help but think how cruel she was to her own family.

What happens in some people’s lives that make them so cold? I hadn’t seen Aunt Helen since my wedding. Why did she treat me with such disdain? I wondered. By now, Mom’s other sister, Maggie, and their husband trickled in.

Aunt Helen and my uncle walked to the casket, knelt in silence for a few moments to make it look respectful and turned to Emma when they’d risen. She said to Emma with a little sarcasm in her voice, “You’ll live just fine now that you’re with your Aunt Joan, my little darling.”

Emma frowned having heard her tone and Mom rose and said to Aunt Helen, “Let’s take this outside.”

Aunt Helen gave Mom a look as if to say “Bring it on” as they walked to the back of the sanctuary. Mom politely but firmly took her by the elbow and headed for the door.

I stepped to the door with Dad to listen in as they stepped outside. Mom spun on her heals and said to Aunt Helen, “You just couldn’t hold your tongue for the sake of that child who’s just lost her mother, could you? Just what the fuck are you really trying to say, Helen?”

Aunt Helen, trying to play innocent replied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Joan. All I said was that now she’d be taken care of.”

“Let’s cut the shit, Helen,” Mom spat back. “Even an eight year-old can tell a sarcastic, bitchy remark when she hears one.”

Planting her feet, Aunt Helen readied herself for the ensuing verbal fray then replied, “Look, Joan. You, John and Sean have looked down upon all of the rest of your family because your husband got lucky and made a fortune while the rest of us struggled. Not once have you done anything to help any of us out.”

Wagging her head she went on, “Now, you expect us to help you out and let you live your life of luxury expecting us to bear the burden of raising my sister’s granddaughter, well it ain’t gonna happen!”

By now, my Aunt Maggie and Uncle Bunk were watching the fray.

“Why you ungrateful bitches!” Mom retorted, pointing her finger at each of my aunts. Mom continued, “Both of your two kids have the best education possible and paid for - even through college. Every one of our nieces and nephews has been given the same privilege because my husband and I wanted both of our families to share in our good fortune.”

Poking Aunt Helen in the shoulder, Mom continued, “I’m not the one who got knocked up and had to get married and no one picked out your spouse for you. And speaking of spouses, if you knew how to keep a man, your husband wouldn’t have been fucking his secretary for the past five years while you were out spending every dime he made.”

Aunt Helen was livid! She put her hands on her hips and shot back, “That’s a God damn lie! Tom is as faithful as the day is long; you’re just making hurtful, vindictive and slanderous remarks because we won’t bear the burden of raising Emma!”

Mom “Humph’d” and responded back, “Oh yeah, well you’d better keep your fat ass closer to home and take care of business! Your “true blue” Tom asked John last year for $250,000 because he was going bankrupt. Before John would lend him the money, we had our accountants go over your books.”

Mom looked around to make sure everyone was listening. She looked back at Aunt Helen and continued, “What we found was that you have spent every bit of savings on the trappings of success to make yourself appear to be part of the Capitol elite, and that John secretly purchased a condo for his young, gold digging bimbo in Bethesda for their little rendezvous’. You’re in hock up to your eyeballs. Because you’re my sister, I didn’t want to hurt you by ratting out your sleazy husband. We just lent him the money: which by the way, he hasn’t even made an effort to repay.”

Looking at Uncle Tom, Mom asked, “You certainly didn’t mention that to Helen, did you, Tom?”

Uncle Tom just hung his head and kept silent.

Looking around at her sisters Mom said, “And the rest of you aren’t any better. After each and every one of you asked for a hand out when we asked all of you about taking Emma, the reason I might add, is because you each have children that she could grow up with, I did some checking around.”

Putting her hands on her hips, Mom went on saying, “The median income of all of you is about $150,000 per year. All of you have nice homes; your children have paid educations — by me — and all of you live in relative comfort. I guess Helen here has influenced your thinking by telling you that taking care of an eight year-old will put a cramp in your coffee klatch schedules and that it’s not worth it without some sort of compensation.”

Taking a breath, Mom went on, “Why haven’t I shared more? Why should I? I’ll tell you why…”

Looking back at Aunt Helen, Mom continued without giving anyone a chance to reply saying, “Why should I give my husband’s hard earned, honestly acquired wealth so that you,” and she pointed to each of her sisters, “or your philandering husbands can just squander it away?”

The gloves were off and Aunt Helen threw her verbal counter punch by saying, “You fucking bitch! You think you’re so high and mighty? You stand here and pass judgment on us while your genius, rich little pretty boy pedophile fucks a black, twelve year-old hussy: and you call us shallow, insensitive and immoral?”

Mom grew red with anger and slapped Helen across the face so hard, it knocked her back and spat back, “You are the most rude, insensitive, bigoted piece of shit I’ve ever met in my life and I’m ashamed to call you my sister! You couldn’t pick your slimy ass up and out of the gutter far enough to kiss her little black ass!”

Mom went on the offensive by saying, “That little black hussy, as you call her, has more class, intelligence and tolerance in her little black toe than you could hope to gain in a lifetime! At least she was a virgin when she married, not like the knocked up whore you were! And as far as my son goes, he — unlike your husband — is a faithful and supportive husband. I’ll match my twelve year-old daughter-in-law against any of you and you’d all come up lacking: in intelligence, morals or otherwise!”

Mom, realizing that she was losing control, stepped back a moment, composed herself and went on, “Stop and think a moment all of you. How many of you were there for Cinny? How many of you helped Liz and Emma when Jack died or helped with his burial and Liz’s medical expenses? Jack made an honest living but only made $35,000 a year: did any of you lift a finger to help her? No! All of you were still crying in your beer over the fact that Cinny asked me, at thirteen, to be Liz’s godmother instead of one of you.”

Taking a breath, Mom continued, “And what about Liz? When we found out Liz had breast cancer, what did any of you do? Everyone said, ‘Oh, that’s such a shame,’ and went on with your petty, little lives without a second thought about her, her pain and suffering, or what might happen to that little girl in there.”

Mom, becoming more rational asked, “After all that, why are you all here? To make yourselves appear to be kind, loving and decent people with your token grieving when here, right now standing on this sidewalk, none of you really gives a damn about what happens to Emma?”

Shaking her head, Mom turned to go back inside and responded in her normal voice, “It just makes me sick to think that the death of a family member brings out all the hypocrisy and jealousy in this family.”

Mom walked right past both of her silent, stunned sisters and their spouses and went back inside. Dad and I had our heads hung in sadness and silently shook our heads, followed Mom inside.

We found Mom in the ladies restroom. Dad called to her and she came out crying and shaking from the adrenaline letdown after her fight with Aunt Helen. All the other family members remained outside and I guess were arguing over some of the facts Mom had revealed to everyone.

I guess some felt they still had to save face because Aunt Maggie and Uncle Bunk silently filed back into the sanctuary and sat in the back. Aunt Helen and Uncle Tom weren’t among them. Some of Dad’s business associates that knew of Liz and had met little Emma arrived, as did many of Mom’s old neighborhood friends that knew Aunt Cindy and Liz as a little girl to pay their respects. Many hadn’t met Emma and were very happy, under the circumstances, to meet Liz’s daughter.

Mom, having had the inevitable confrontation she expected, was now calm and accepted everyone with grace and appreciation for their heartfelt condolences. Emma held up well: much better than we thought, and only cried intermittently when she’d look at Liz lying there in repose.

Eight o’clock didn’t come soon enough and it wasn’t long before we were leaving for the night. The ten am funeral service would be held at a historic Baptist church next to the Washington monument in downtown Baltimore and from there she’d be buried at a non-denominational cemetery in Towson, a northern suburb.

The ride home was pretty much a silent one. Dad asked Mom, “Joan, are you alright?”

Mom, rubbing his shoulder replied, “Yes, John, Now, I’m fine. I got it all out of my system. The only thing that grieves me now is that I feel my family is torn apart by this.”

Dad, glancing from the road for a moment at Mom and then back to driving replied, “Like death, Joan, time heals all wounds. Maggie and Charles will come around, I think Maggie now sees what Helen truly is and she’ll migrate back to you and mend her fences after the dust settles. Just give it some time.”

Mom started to cry silently for Emma’s sake the rest of the way home. I could tell because she would occasionally wipe the tears from her cheeks.

Priya and I looked at each other in sadness and I think Emma knew all wasn’t right with Mom. Upon arriving home, Mom had composed herself and put on her camouflaging smile.

Mom held things together long enough to say goodnight and went upstairs. Emma and Aleeya had picked up their camaraderie where they left off earlier in the day and were watching cartoons in the family room. Abby said goodnight and made her way home to George while the three grownups sat at the table to talk. Once seated, Priya asked Dad, “What happened? Mom looks really upset.”

Dad sighed at the situation and replied, “It was very ugly. You know from your own family’s troubles that airing the family’s dirty laundry invariably ends up with things being said that are best kept close to the vest.”

Priya, wanting more detail asked, “What was said?”

I was going to answer, but Dad gave me a look and replied, “We can talk about that later, there’s no use in discussing it now. We’ve got to help Emma get past tomorrow and on with life. When nerves aren’t so raw, we’ll all sit down and discuss it. Don’t you agree, Sean?”

Taking Dad’s cue to keep quiet about it for now, I answered, “You’re probably right, Dad.”

Dad changed the subject and asked Priya, “You did well tonight. How did you feel about things?”

Priya, resigned to the fact that the former subject was closed answered, “I felt really weird at first, but as I looked at Liz, I could tell she’s found peace. That gave me the strength to encourage Emma when she had her moments of weakness. I think Emma handled it very well.”

Folding and wringing her hands Priya went on, “She did a whole lot better than I would if that was one of my parents lying there. I would have been in uncontrollable wailing.”

Dad gave an understanding smile and replied, “We all grieve differently, Sweetie. Emma may wait for some time: days, months, maybe even years before she’ll be able to let it all out and let her mother go.”

Sighing and taking a breath, he said, “Who knows, maybe she’s already accepted the fact and let her mother go. We just don’t know that for sure right now. All we can do is love her and be there for her when she needs us.”

Priya agreed. I guess with that we’d pretty much summed things up so Dad said, “Come on. Let’s go to bed and get some rest. Tomorrow certainly won’t be any easier.”

Agreeing, we rose and went to take the girls to bed. Priya said to Emma, “Come on, Sweetheart, let’s go to bed. We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Emma kissed her on the cheek and asked, “Can I sleep with Sean tonight? Aleeya says he keeps her safe and protected, and I need to feel safe tonight.”

Dad, Priya and I all got a disbelieving silent, surprised look and stood quietly for a moment. Dad asked Emma, “Are you sure you don’t want to sleep with Priya tonight?”

Emma nodded yes and looked around at all of us waiting for an answer.

Still in disbelief, we looked at Dad to make the call. He gave a resigned shrug and said, “Okay, if it’s alright with Priya and Sean.”

Emma looked up at me with pleading eyes and asked, “Will you keep me safe and protected tonight?”

I smiled and softly replied, “Sure, Honey, if that’s what you want.”

She looked at Priya and Aleeya, then at Dad and returning to me silently nodded.

Priya said to Aleeya, “Come on, Sister, you can sleep with me tonight, okay?”

With that, we headed upstairs to go to say prayers. The three of us said evening prayers and Emma had, after only two nights, begun to memorize some of the du’a said during evening prayers. After about an hour of prayer, we finished. Priya told the girls to get ready and dressed for bed. She gave me a look that said, “Keep a handle on your dick” and I looked back at her and said, “I know.”

I undressed down to my boxers and climbed into bed waiting for Emma. She opened the door and walked in timidly and stood by the door after she’d closed it. I propped my head up in my hand and softly said, “Well, Munchkin, are you gonna stand there all night, or are you gonna get over here and let me keep you safe?”

She gave me a shy smile and a giggle and ran to the bed. I threw back the covers and she climbed in. I pulled the duvet up and covered us and said, “Come here, Sweetie, let me get you warm and fuzzy.

Emma giggled as I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her to me. I pulled her into a spoon and I felt her soft, little butt come in contact with my groin. She reached for my hand and placed it over her tiny breast bud, snuggling herself as close as she could get.

I kissed the back of her head and said, “Goodnight, Emma, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite.”

She gave a tiny giggle and replied, “You are big and strong! Aleeya was right; I do feel warm and safe!”

Chuckling, I softly replied, “Good night, Sweetie.”

“Goodnight, Sean,” she softly replied.

I gave her a reassuring squeeze and she nodded off to sleep. As I lay there holding her, I noticed Emma had a much softer, more fleshy feel in my arms than with either Priya’s tight compact body or Aleeya’s tiny childlike frame. I thought for a moment what it would be like to make love to her, but the evening’s events kept my thoughts… and my dick in check as I drifted off to a fretful sleep.

I awoke about three-fifteen to Emma’s fretful crying and hugged her to me as I stoked her face comfortingly saying, “Shhhhh, there, there now, everything’s gonna be alright. Don’t cry little one, I’m here.”

As she shivered, she pulled my hand tighter to her breast and sobbing asked me, “What is gonna happen to me, Sean? Can I live with you and Priya and Aleeya?”

Feeling my heart breaking inside, I whispered to her, “Don’t worry, Emma, we’ll take care of you. You’ll never be alone, I promise.”

“Promise me, Sean. Promise me I can live with you.”

Having not reached a consensus about her future, I replied, “We can talk about this later. Like I said, you’ll never be alone, Emma. No matter what happens, you’ll never be alone.”

“Promise?” she asked.

“I promise. Now let’s get some sleep, okay?”

“Okay,” she replied, and pulled my hand to her breast again and tried to snuggle closer.

I held her tight for several minutes as I stroked her temple lightly trying to coax her back to sleep. After about five minutes, I heard her breathing slow and deepen as she again fell off to a fitful sleep. I really didn’t sleep well the rest of the night. I just held her close and cuddled her when I thought she might be stirring again. This happened about every hour or so.

Having only dozed, every so often I would wake and go back to sleep. I awoke at six am and never went back to sleep. I lay there holding my soft little charge thinking about all the things that were said in anger and about the cutting remark Aunt Helen had made about Priya and me.

I thought to myself that I must be pretty damn obvious or else Aunt Helen’s remarks were simply to anger my mom. Again I felt the softness of this little alabaster beauty in my arms; her soft, rubbery puffy nipple in my hand and the soft round butt against my groin.

Priya’s explanation to me still wasn’t convincing enough to me to relieve my thoughts and anxieties about being attracted to young girls. I hoped, no - I prayed that I wasn’t the type to use a child for my own purposes. Every time I had these thoughts, that nagging question came to mind: am I that “Child fucker” my demon accused me of?

Not wishing to do battle today, I pushed it from my mind. At seven, I gently shook Emma telling her, “Wake up, Sweetie, it’s time to get up.”

She stirred several times then opened her eyes with a soft smile and said, “Aleeya was right. You did keep me safe and protected.”

Tweaking her little freckled, button nose, I chuckled, “Glad to be of service, Miss. Now let’s get up and get ready for prayers.”

Emma had just jumped from bed when Priya and Aleeya entered. Priya said to Emma, “Come on, Sweetie, let’s take a shower before prayers.”

Emma asked her, “Can I take a shower with Sean like Aleeya did yesterday?”

I quickly replied, “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why can’t I?” she asked, “Aleeya did. Why is it okay for her and not me?”

Just then my mom poked her head in the door and asked, “What’s going on?”

Priya told Mom, “Emma wants to take a shower with Sean because Aleeya did yesterday.”

Mom gave Emma a look of dismissal and said, “Stop it now. Aleeya just did that to save time, now go with Priya and take your shower. Come on, let’s go.”

Mom waited at the door as Priya and Emma left for the other bedroom. She looked at me as if to say, “She’s learning quickly.”

Aleeya and I got undressed and into the shower. She said to me, “Emma’s got a crush on you and I think she wants to see you naked.”

“Why,” I asked, “What’d you tell her?”

Defensively, Aleeya answered, “I didn’t tell her anything! Honest!”

Putting the matter to rest I said, “Okay… you better not have.”

Showers finished, we said morning prayers and went downstairs to eat. Emma and Aleeya raced to get the seat next to me, with Emma winning (To Aleeya’s obvious displeasure). Mom told the two to settle down and eat.

Dad mentioned that he wanted to talk to me after breakfast, so I hurried up and finished eating. In his study, he told me that he and I would be pallbearers along with four of his family. I agreed with pleasure and we returned to the others.

Aleeya asked Priya after breakfast why she had to stay home. Priya told her that she was too young to think, see or hear about death and that she should be happy and think about living and nice things with Abby while we were gone. Aleeya seemed to accept Priya’s answer and returned to her normal self.

We arrived at the church a little early and I helped Dad arrange the cars so that my two uncles, Bob and Steve along with their sons Robby and Paul would be right behind the hearse and family limo.

Once the service was underway we didn’t see Aunt Helen or Uncle Tom, but Aunt Maggie and Uncle Bunk were in attendance. Mom gave Liz a beautiful eulogy and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

After the service and in the limo, Emma started to cry. She said she knew they were going to the place where her mommy would be put in the ground. Priya opened her bag and withdrew the sedative and a spoon.

Trying to shush her enough to get her to take the medication was difficult, but with Mom and Priya’s loving but firm tone, got her to take the teaspoon of medicine. It started to take affect during the thirty minute ride to the cemetery.

The girls sat while Dad and I exited the limo to help carry Liz to her final resting place. When everything was ready, we brought Mom, Priya and Emma over to the gravesite and to their seats. Emma broke free of Priya’s grasp and lifted up the green colored rug that covered the open grave beneath. She saw the hole and began wailing out, “Oh please! Don’t put Mommy in that hole! Please, please, please!”

Priya had her in more or less a bear hug trying to keep her still. Mom took over and led her to the casket and softly said to her, “Emma, Mommy’s not going in that hole, her body is. Your Mommy is in heaven with God and your Daddy.”

With tear filled eyes Mom consoled her, “Sweetie, Mommy’s at home with God and you have to let her go. Your Mommy can’t really be happy unless she knows that you’ll let her go to be with God and your Daddy. You have to be strong and let her go.”

Mom took Emma’s tear-streaked face in her hands and kissed her on the lips and whispered to her, “Let Mommy go to heaven and be with God and your Daddy. Can you do that?’

Crying, Emma nodded silently and sat down on my mother’s lap. Mom cradled her in her arms as the minister prayed over the casket. When the service came to the part where everyone lays a rose on the casket, Emma took a white lily and placed it at the head of the casket and then wrapped her hands around the casket crying out, “Oh, Mommy! Please be happy with Daddy and God! I miss you, Mommy, I miss you so much! See, I’m wearing white for you so you’ll be happy in heaven!”

Watching this child pour out her spirit to her mother and God before witnesses was the most gut wrenchingly sad experience of my life! Dad and I openly wept as we pried her tiny fingers away from the coffin. We handed her over to Mom and Priya who took her back to the car.

Dad told Mom to take Priya and Emma home; he and I would ride to the wake with Uncle Bob. There was no reason for her to attend the wake and hear people talk about her dead mother.

Mom and Priya left to take Emma home after the ceremony at the gravesite concluded while Dad and I went to the wake at a local hall. Mom arrived about an hour later. She said that Priya was with her and that she was despondent and sedated like the day after Liz’s death.

Arriving home after the wake, the house was quiet and one could feel Emma’s sadness the rest of the evening. We said prayers mournfully and prayed for Liz’s salvation and peace. That evening, Aleeya wanted to sleep with me, but I told her that I really needed to be alone tonight. I gave her a big hug and a kiss and told her, “I love you, Aleeya and I can’t ever imagine living without you.”

She seemed to understand and relied, “I feel sad because Emma’s sad, but I’m happy that I have you and Priya. I love you, Sean.”

“I love you too, Sweetheart,” I replied softly.

She smiled, touched the side of my cheek with her hand and went to her own room.

About two am, Priya and Emma came in and Priya woke me by saying, “Sean, wake up. Sean, wake up.”

Groggily I turned on the light and said, “What? What’s the matter?”

Priya said, “Emma wants to sleep with you. Is it okay?”

Still half asleep I replied, “Yeah, sure. Come on and get in bed.”

Priya turned out the light and left. Emma scooted herself into a spoon alongside me and reached for my hand. She placed it over her breast and hugged my hand to her. I gave her little pointy, puffy nipple a gentle squeeze and said, “Goodnight, Sweetheart.”

She responded with a gentle sigh and said, “I knew I’d be safe with you. Goodnight.”

She then fell off to a drugged sleep as I held her in my arms, safe and protected.