Chapter One
Lying down in the center of the road, Mary pressed her face into the dirt. A steady stream of tears ran down her face, transforming lines of dirt to streams of mud. When her mother knew how much she wanted Aunt Lila back, she'd have to bring her to her party.
"Mary," a voice called angrily.
The girl trembled slightly then sniffed. "Mama, where's Auntie Lila?"
A woman dressed in somber colours hurried down the road towards her. Lines that time had drawn around her face hinted at the beauty she might have possessed in her youth, and the sleekness of her black hair was not entirely diminished by graying strands of hair. If her face was empty of rage, she would have seemed younger. Mary watched her come; she saw the unwelcoming, abrupt way she moved, and slunk her head back down to the ground.
"It's my birthday and my Aunties gone," she wailed, "she lives up here."
Hesitating, Mary's mother stood above her motionless. With barely another pause she knelt down next to the little girl. Mary clambered onto her lap, looking up at her with deep brown eyes. Tenderly the women pulled back strands of her black out of her hair.
"Sweetie, Auntie Lila was very bad. She was so bad that she has problems with her mind. So, Auntie had to be taken away."
"No, Auntie is good!" Mary exclaimed pounding her fists against the ground. She struggled to get out of her mothers lap.
Her mother held her tighter. "Mary," she warned.
The little girl fell limply against her mother and buried her face into her mother's apron. She looked up at her once more, her heart written in her eyes.
"Is Auntie sad?" Mary asked.
"No," he mother murmered.
"Will Auntie get better?"
Gently her mother pulled her up to her feet, and brushed off what dirt she could.
"Come on. You're birthday cake's at home," she smiled brightly at Mary.
Watching her walk off down the road, her shoulders hunched, Mary thought she must miss her too.