“Mommy?”
They both jerked to attention as the silence between them was broken. Sarah quickly wiped her eyes before looking up the stairs at Zoe who stood freshly washed and in her pajamas.
“What is it, baby? You should be in bed.”
“I wanted a bedtime story.”
“Okay.”
Sarah turned away from Lucas and climbed up the steps. She scooped up Zoe and continued without a backward glance. Like a puppet drawn by a string he slowly crept up the stairs passing Ulima who watched him with a pensive look. He wondered how much of their conversation she heard but didn’t dare ask. Head bowed he crept toward Zoe’s bedroom door. Lucas leaned against the wall listening to the voices drifting out of the room.
“Mommy, are you made at daddy? Did he make you cry?”
“…No. It’s…remember what I told you about
