Pinky Promise

Little Katie sat in the lobby of County General Hospital. She twirled the frayed hair of her rag-doll between her fingers. The smell of bleach and poo made her eyes sting but she would not cry. Daddy said big girls don’t cry. He said Katie was a big girl now and Daddy is never wrong.

She tried to ignore hushed voices down the hall by scuffing her shiny buckle shoes on the dingy floor. She doesn’t have to hear them to know what is what. The doctor has blood all over his clothes. The officer might be crying. He was nice to Katie when he pulled her out of the car. He tried to give her candy but Daddy said Katie should never take candy from strangers. He is a stranger and Daddy is never wrong.

Katie could also see the funny lights dancing down the halls. Katie couldn’t count high enough to count all the lights. And she heard them singing. It was the song Daddy sang every night after Momma went. He said she use to sing it to Katie. Daddy told Katie that Momma had gone home because she was weary.

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