We climb up two flights of stairs and get to the
attic door.
“Patrick?”
“Welcome home,” he says, smiling at me and
opening the door.
I peek my head inside and what I see literally
takes my breath away.
Rain’s mini apartment has been turned
completely upside down. The walls have been
painted green and yellow. In the middle of the
main room is a king-size bed and next to it is a
white wooden crib. There’s a changing table full of
accessories, diapers, baby creams and lotions.
“I thought in the beginning she could stay here
with us until she gets big enough to have her own
room. That would be … uh, this one here,” he
says, opening a door on his right.
I cover my mouth with my hand to stop the sobs
that are coming. The walls are pink and white and
the room is full of pictures of all of the family. My
parents are there, her mom and Carl, his brothers
and sisters, the guys, and Nate.
In the middle of the room there’s a little bed and
it looks like it’s been painted by fairies with a
dozen stuffed animals on it in every size and
shape.
Under the window there’s an armchair with a
colored blanket on it. I go to it and run my hand
over the surface, discovering a corner where her
initials have been embroidered.
