14: Insomnia: Thursday
280 Words
"It was a lovely funeral, wasn't it?”Mom dabbed her eyes with a tissue with one hand while she squeezed the little chihuahua to her chest with the other.
"Yes, it was.” Dad rubbed Mom's shoulders.
"I miss her so much!" Mom turned around and laid her head against Dad's chest.
"I know you do." He stroked her hair. Then he opened the door. "Let's take a look. Are you ready?”
Mom nodded.
Dad wrinkled his nose. "It smells funny in here. Like something burned. And died.”
Mom's eyes widened. "I smell it, too.”Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Maybe those awful dreams were real!”
Dad kissed Mom on the forehead. "Now, now. There's always a rational explanation for everything.”He walked over to the window and pulled the curtains open.
Mom gasped. "It's shattered! Just like in my nightmare!”
Dad shook his head. "I bet that little twerp Ronnie and his friends climbed the tree, then broke in through the window and smoked cigarettes while we were gone. And then a racoon crawled in and died under the bed.”
"You really think that's all this was?”
"I'm certain, sweetheart.” Dad smiled at his wife. "I'll call the exterminator and a glass repair company as soon as we get downstairs." He pulled a bottle of pills out of his pocket and rattled it. "Meanwhile, you take one of these sleeping pills and get some rest. You haven't slept for almost a week. Then you'll feel much better. Right Penny?”
The chihuahua yapped.
"That's my pretty Penny!”Mom kissed the dog's head. "You're my good little girl!”
- Writer
