"Hello, Maura!"
"Hello Jane," she shuts her book and smiles at Jane.
"I'm just going to hand out ma's cookies to our classmates but I wanted to give you three first, because I like you the mostest," Jane hands her a packet of cookies wrapped with a ribbon, "I'll be back really quick and you can read your book Maura!" Jane smiles and waves as she runs off towards the other children.
She waves as she watches Jane's figure getting smaller and smaller. She smiles and waves to her friend.
She blinks.
Her head hurts.
She blinks.
She holds onto the packet of cookies too tightly - she heard them crumble.
Her head hurts.
And her hands are hot again.
She blinks.
Her head burns.
Her hands must have touched them.
Oh no. The cookies are out of their packet, she pulled at the ribbon.
Her head's hurting and burning.
She blinks.
She sees dirt.
She's on the ground, with cookie bits in front of her.
She blinks.
Jane's going to be back real quick.
She blinks.
She breathes.
"Jane?" She feels a shadow over her.
"You're hot Maura," it's the boy Jane sat on over chocolates.
"Jane?" She breathes.
"Jane! Jane! Jane!" The boy is yelling Jane's name. She wants to say thank you to him, to Giovanni.
She breathes. She's burning up.
"What did you do Giovanni?" Jane's yelling and Jane's hands are on hers.
"Nothing! I saw her fall, and she's hot Jane! She's really hot!" The boy sounds scared, she feels scared; Jane's back, she was quick.
"Maura? Maura?" Jane's waving her hand in front of her eyes, "Can you see me Maura? You're so hot! My hands are too small!" She feels something wet on her cheek. She breathes. She blinks.
"Jane?" She wants to hold Jane's hands, she wants to tell her that there's something in her brain. That she counts birthday cakes, not birthdays. That she's Constance's lovely child too. "Jane?"
"Giovanni went to get sister Winifred Maura," Jane's hands are casting shadows at her eyes, "I'm stretching but, okay Maura, sit up, I've got your back," Jane's holding onto her, and she burns. She's burning hot. Her head hurts. Jane's going to get hurt. She feels a shadow looming over her - Jane's kneeling behind her.
"I'm taller Maura, so see! If I sit you in front of me, while I make myself taller, I'll cast a longer shadow," Jane's holding her up, "You taught me that in that big book you were reading last week, Jane remembers, and I'll have ma make you more cookies," Jane's holding her hands, "It's okay, my hands are bigger and I'll protect you from the Sun Maura," Jane's whispering words into her ear. She feels something wet on her shoulder. She blinks. She breathes. She blinks.
"Thank you Jane," she says the words before she blinks. Before she can't open her eyes again.
"Jane?" She breathes. "I want my mommy. I want my mommy, and you," Jane's holding onto her hands, and holding onto her. She closes her eyes and feels tired, in the cover Jane has for her - Jane's protecting her; she's safe with her friend Jane.
She keeps her eyes close, and she sleeps.