Page 20 - Reason To Sing by Kelita Haverland

Reason To Sing

Maybe I have the nightmares because of seeing Grandma
when she was dead. Or maybe, because of the time we had to
see Grandpa when he was dying in the hospital.
That time, Mommy and Daddy got us out of bed in the
middle of the night. We had to put on our matching red velvet
dresses and black patent- leather shoes. We were still half asleep
when we left the farm and drove to the hospital. When we got
there, Grandpa’s skin looked ghostly as he lay in the bed. He
was hooked up to all kinds of machines. They were making
funny clicking noises and he had green tubes coming from his
nose. And there was something white and crusty all around his
mouth. Daddy held Vian and me, and one by one, he leaned us
over the hospital bed. Then we had to give Grandpa a kiss on
the cheek. He had that old-man smell. The closer I got to him
the more I could hear horrible rattling sounds. I had no idea
where they were coming from. I loved Grandpa but I hated
seeing him like that. After we left that night, Grandpa died.
Ever since Grandma and Grandpa died, Vian and I have
both been afraid of the dark. Vian is even more frightened than
me, though. She’s three years younger, so her bedtime is earlier
than mine. But every night, I know she stays awake, waiting for
me to come. When I crawl in beside her, I can feel her warm
hand reach over to grab a piece of my nightie. I love my little
sister. I take good care of her. Knowing that she counts on me
to keep her safe helps me to feel just a little less scared of the
dark.

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