~
five years later

Snow White ran up to Cassius and threw her arms around her. “I love you Auntie Cassie!” she said.

Cassius patted her head. “I’m happy to see you too, Snow,” she said.

Mrs. Snowshoe smiled. “It looks like you’ll be fine without me,” she said. “Cassius, thank you for watching Snow White today.”

“It’s not a problem,” she said. “I love looking after Snow White.”

“I know you do, dear,” she said. “I’ll see you both later.”

As soon as the door was closed, Snow White started jumping up and down. “I hope it’s a baby sister!” she said. “I hope it’s a baby sister!”

Cassius laughed. “Sister or brother, I know you’ll love your new little sibling.”

Snow White stuck out her lip. “I wish I could be there,” she said.

“You’re not missing much,” Cassius said. “I was there when you were born, and mostly it was just hours of waiting. The fun part comes afterward, once your parents are rested and the baby has had a little time to adjust to the world.”

“Then I get to hold her!”

“Or him,” Cassius said.

Snow White stuck out her tongue and Cassius laughed.

“Why do you want a sister so much instead of a brother?”

“Cause then I can do sister things, like you and my mommy did when you were little.”

“We weren’t exactly little,” Cassius said, “but I think I know what you mean.” She knelt down to Snow White’s level and looked in her eyes. “How about this? If you have a baby brother, I’ll do sister things with you just like your mommy did sister things with me.”

Snow White’s mouth dropped open, and then she lunged forward to hug Cassius. They fell over into a pile of arms and legs, and both started laughing together. Cassius loved it when Snow White came over to visit. Mrs. Snowshoe watched the little girl about once a week so Genevieve and Augustus could have time alone together, and Cassius always made sure to play with Snow White when she was around. The little girl was adorable and sweet, and Cassius loved her.

Hours passed. The whole day went by and darkness came. Snow White was yawning but she didn’t have her nightgown or her special bedtime doll. Everyone had thought she’d be home by nightfall to meet the new baby. Cassius dressed her in an old shirt and laid her down on the sofa.

“Did it take this long when I was born?” she asked.

Cassius shook her head. “No,” she said. “But sometimes it takes longer than others for a child to be born. I’m sure all is well.” She tucked a blanket up under Snow White’s chin and softly touched her cheek. “Get some rest, little one,” she said. “Before you know it you’ll be heading home to meet your little sister.”

“Or brother,” Snow White added.

Cassius smiled. “Or brother.”

“Can you read me a story?”

Cassius nodded and left the room to find a book, but when she returned, Snow White was already asleep. Cassius placed a kiss on her forehead and then went to prepare for bed herself.

~

A blinding ray of sunshine lit up the room when Cassius awoke. Snow White was shaking her arm.

“Auntie Cassie, Auntie Cassie!”

“I’m up,” she said. She closed her eyes.

“No you’re not!”

Cassius smiled. “Well I’m almost up,” she said. “What’s going on? Is grandma home?”

Snow White shook her head. “No,” she said.

Cassius sat up. “She’s not back yet? What time is it?”

“I’m hungry, Auntie Cassie. It’s hungry time.”

Cassius tried to hide her concern. She couldn’t imagine why Mrs. Snowshoe wouldn’t be back yet. She hoped nothing went wrong with the birth. “I’ll make breakfast,” she said. She patted Snow White on the head and got up.

In the kitchen, Cassius scrambled eggs and served day-old bread. “Are you sure grandma hasn’t been by?” she asked. She put the plate down in front of Snow White and then went to make herself one.

Snow White shook her head while she chewed. “Uh-huh,” she mumbled.

That’s odd, Cassius thought.

“When am I going home?” Snow White asked.

“I’m not sure,” Cassius said. I thought you’d be going home yesterday. This was her first time watching Snow White overnight. She was glad things were going well so far, but concerned as to why. Why hadn’t Mrs. Snowshoe come back yet? Why wasn’t there any news from the palace?

The day passed slowly for Cassius. By the time she was serving lunch she was really concerned. Snow White didn’t seem as bothered by the lack of news, and Cassius tried to keep it that way by entertaining her and reading a lot of books to pass the time.

“Read that one again!” Snow White said.

“But we’ve read it six times!”

“Pleeease?”

Cassius forced a smile. “Okay,” she said. She kept hoping to hear the door open, but the sound didn’t come. The clock overwhelmed the room. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Hours passed and Mrs. Snowshoe still had not returned.

“I like sleeping over with you,” Snow White said. She cuddled up into Cassius’s lap and listened to the stories. “I want to sleep over again and again.”

Hopefully not tonight, Cassius thought. She sighed. It was almost sunset again. Mrs. Snowshoe had to return soon. It wasn’t that Cassius minded watching Snow White, but she worried what this meant. Could Genevieve still be in labor? Had something gone wrong? She tried to push the thoughts out of her mind.

Snow White yawned.

“You sleepy, little bug?” she asked.

The child nodded.

“How about you rest here while I make dinner, then,” she said. She spread a blanket over Snow White and went to the kitchen. A few minutes later the door opened. At last, Cassius thought. She went to greet Mrs. Snowshoe, but the look on her face said it all. Something had gone terribly wrong.

“Is Snow White awake?” she whispered.

Cassius glanced over at the sleeping child. “No,” she said.

Mrs. Snowshoe’s shoulders dropped and she let out a long breath. “We won’t wake her then,” she said. “The king could use another night to grieve. I’ll take her home in the morning.”

“Grieve?”

Mrs. Snowshoe closed her eyes and shook her head. She looked like her whole body was about to crumble. She brought her hands to her eyes and started sobbing. Mrs. Snowshoe found her way to a chair and sat down. She put her head on the table and with her eyes still closed she spoke. “They’re gone,” she said. “They’re both gone. Genevieve…and the baby.” Her voice broke and she started crying again.

Cassius didn’t know what to say. Tears came to her eyes and her mouth parted in shock. “Genevieve’s gone,” she said. She looked over to Snow White, hurting more for Snow White’s loss than her own. Genevieve was like a sister to Cassius, but Cassius hadn’t forgotten what it was like to lose a mother. “I’m so sorry,” she said.

Cassius helped Mrs. Snowshoe to bed and put away the food she’d gotten out for dinner. No one would be eating supper that night. Their appetites were gone, replaced with sorrow. As Cassius headed to her bedroom, she couldn’t help remembering that at one time it had been Genevieve’s room. She passed by the sofa which Snow White slept on and felt that it wouldn’t be right to leave her there to sleep alone. Not on a night like this. Snow White didn’t know her mother was gone yet, but she would know soon enough. Any added comfort before she found out would be a good thing. Cassius scooped up the sleeping child and carried her into her bedroom. She placed her down in the middle of the bed and curled up beside her. “Sleep well, Snow White,” she said. “Tomorrow will come all too soon.”

~

The next day a messenger’s knock awoke everyone in the house. The king had sent a note for Mrs. Snowshoe, to request that she keep Snow White a few more days.

Mrs. Snowshoe frowned. “Will I have to be the one to tell her, then?” she asked the note. She crumpled it up and threw it down.

“I can tell her, if you wish,” Cassius offered.

“Tell who what?” Snow White asked. Both adults looked down at her. The child yawned and rubbed her eyes.

“I’m going back to bed,” Mrs. Snowshoe announced.

“Am I going home now? Grandma’s back.”

Cassius shook her head. “Not yet,” she said.

“Why?” She watched her grandmother go to her room. “Why’s grandma sad?” Then she remembered the baby and started jumping. “Is it a sister?” she asked.

Cassius sighed. “Come sit down,” she said. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Snow White followed her to the living room. “It was a brother, wasn’t it? That’s why grandma’s sad. She knew I wanted a sister. But I’m not sad because you said you’d do sister things with me. I get to do sister things and brother things.”

Cassius sat down and pulled Snow White into her lap. “Snow White, I’m not sure how to tell you this…”

“Tell me what?”

“Snow White…your mom, she…”

“Were there two babies?”

Cassius shook her head. “No, Snow White. Only one.”

“A boy or a girl?”

“Grandma didn’t say.”

Snow White wrinkled her nose. “That’s a silly thing not to say,” she said.

“Snow White, listen. The baby…it died.”

The child’s mouth dropped open. “You mean I don’t get a brother or a sister?”

Cassius took a deep breath. “And,” she said, “Your mom died. They’re both gone.”

“My mommy’s…gone?” Snow White’s lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears. She leaned on Cassius’s chest and closed her eyes. “But where did she go? Who will be my mommy? I want to see my mommy!”

“We can’t see her,” Cassius said. “She’s gone.”

Snow White’s voice rose to a yell. “I want to see her!”

Cassius closed her eyes and rubbed the child’s back. “I’m sorry Snow White. I am so sorry.”

“Why is she gone?” she asked through tears. “Where is she? I don’t understand.” Her body shook as she sobbed.

Cassius felt helpless and unsure of how to comfort her. “Your mommy loved you,” she said. “She loved you very much.”

“But I want to see her.”

Cassius sighed. “Everything’s going to be okay, Snow White. I don’t know how, but it will.”

The child looked up at her and studied her face. “Will…will you…” Cassius could tell she was holding back tears. Snow White pulled herself up to lean on Cassius’s shoulder. “Will you still be my new sister?” she asked.

Cassius took a deep breath and gave Snow White a gentle squeeze. “Snow White, I’ll be whatever you need me to be.”