Black Swan by Susan Anderson;

Author:Susan Anderson; [Anderson, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Casemate Publishers & Book Distributors, LLC
Published: 2018-04-04T06:10:45+00:00

LESSON SEVEN

Summer draws to an end. This day is going to be different, decides the little girl as she looks out her window. She sees and hears the wind blowing against the tree branches. She walks downstairs to where the other children are eating. On most days, she peeks into the dining room, spying the food left over by the children and then curls up in her usual hiding position under the kitchen counter to devour stolen scraps of food in secrecy. If the house parents catch her, they coax her out of the corner and lead her back to the long dining table and try in vain to get her to sit down among the others.

This bright, blustery morning was going to be different. The little girl takes in a deep breath and practices finding the moment. First, with her ears, she hears the chatter of children in the dining room and the clatter of dishes in the kitchen. Then, with her eyes, she notices the light patterns coming through the windows. Finally, with her skin, she feels her arms being gently pulled by the house parents on either side. This time she is not resisting as they take her along into the dining room.

Suddenly a stripe of sunlight beams across the dining room table. It catches the silverware with a dazzling sparkle, delighting her for a moment. And then she notices that the other children seem peaceful sitting at the table. They are talking and laughing amongst themselves and not bothering her. She tugs at the sleeves of the house parents and bids them to sit her at the end of the table.

They go along with her request, looking with wonder at the little girl who is now sitting among the others. She doesn’t look directly at the children, but she sits beside them nonetheless. The house parents sit on either side of the little girl for awhile, keeping her company. Then they tell her they must return to their duties.

The little girl stays put at the table. She is able to stay through the whole meal, even though she lacks appetite and doesn’t touch her soup or milk or any of her food except for one bite of warm apple pie at the very end.

From then on, at each meal the little girl sits quietly at the end of the table among the other children, taking pieces of bread in her pockets for later.

A few weeks go by. It is the wee hours of the morning. The little girl suddenly awakens from a dream. Her heart pounds. The dream is about her parents. Their arms are around her. They are holding her tight. Their warmth feels so real, so loving. It is her first dream about them. And it is suddenly gone. Why must it be only a dream!

She tries to get back into the dream. She squeezes her eyes shut and concentrates real hard, but the dream won’t come back. “Mommy and Daddy, why did you leave me?” she cries out.

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