That night, before going to sleep, Shirley made a drawing.

Here we are . . . , she said to herself as the crayon

moved across paper . . .

. . . Shirley and Melody at Chenghuang Miao market

with Dad buying new shoes. . . .

They were barefoot in the picture

and their feet were blue with cold.

Then she drew the shop, and the stout shopkeeper

with a gray coat and the mole on her cheek.

Everyone had hearts for eyes.

Their new shoes in the drawing were made of gold.

. . . Now we’re in Dad’s car, eating noodles and singing. . . .

Then Shirley picked her best red crayon and wrote to her
mother, using all the correct strokes to say,

It’s time to be a family again.