She climbed onto a chair.
“Two pigtails, please.”
Nora appeared with a hairbrush.
“Be careful. Her hair was terribly tangled this morning.”
Ellie rolled her eyes.
“Mommy, you brushed it wrong!”
Nora laughed.
“Did I?”
“Yes!”
I began separating Ellie’s curls.
The first ribbon went in easily.
The second refused to stay in place.
“Too tight!” Ellie complained.
I loosened it.
“How’s that?”
She touched both sides of her head.
“One’s higher.”
Nora leaned closer.
“She’s right.”
I looked at my sister.
“Whose side are you on?”
She grinned.
“Ellie’s, obviously.”
We both laughed.
For a brief moment, everything felt wonderfully ordinary.
From the hallway, Tom called, “Are we leaving today or next Tuesday?”
“Tuesday!” Ellie shouted mischievously.
He laughed.
“Then I’ll go back to bed.”
“No!” she squealed, jumping from the chair.
She ran toward him, asking whether we could stop for ice cream.
Nora picked up Ellie’s sweater.
I put the hairbrush away.
