“R-right.”
“I didn’t want her to go away, but she had to because, well, it wasn’t her choice. She didn’t want to leave me, but something made her.”
“Mommy said something happened to her. That someone hurt her.”
“That’s right. Someone hurt my daughter and she had to go away, Sandy.”
Andrews caught White’s eye. He looked distraught and shaken. She shook her head and put a finger to her lips.
“And so did Molly’s mommy,” said Sandy. “I remember.”
“Yes, Molly’s mommy, too, they both went away at the same time. Someone made them go, they didn’t want to.”
“Did they say goodbye?”
“Sandy, close your eyes.”
“What, why?”
“Just close your eyes, please, it’s important.”
“Okay.”
“Are they closed?” asked Decker.
“Yes.”
“Now, think of your mom. What is she doing?”
“She’s smiling at me. She always smiles at me.”
“That’s right. Every time she talked to me about you, she was smiling. Because your mom loved you more than anything, just like I loved my daughter.”
On this, White made a fist and pushed it against her mouth. Her eyes were closed, but some tears trickled out.
“Do you see Molly when you close your eyes?” Sandy asked.
“Yes, I do, all the time. I see her mommy, too. And I think that’s why they, and your mom, never said goodbye. Because when you say goodbye like that, it means they won’t see us again. But they will. You see her right now. And I’m closing my eyes and there are Molly and her mom. I see them right now and they’re smiling at me. So, no goodbyes. They’re always there, Sandy. We just have to close our eyes and say hello and then they come to us. They’re right there, with us. All the time.”
“Hi, Mommy,” said Sandy. “It’s me, Sandy.”
“And even if she doesn’t seem to say anything back, Sandy, in your mind you know everything she would say. Molly always called mePops. So right now I hear Molly calling me that.”
“Mommy calls me Sandy-dandy.”
“I know. And she’s probably calling you that right now.”
“I can hear her. I really, really can. It’s me, Mommy, Sandy-dandy.”
“Yeah, I can hear her, too.”
“I’m going to go show her some new dresses that Daddy got me.”
“I’m sure she’ll love to see them.”
“You really are Amos Decker, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I really am Amos Decker.”