HOME

Aunt Bee comes for us early.

Mama is already gone.

All ready to go? Aunt Bee says,

eyeing the suitcases

piled in the living room.

She only lives across town,

but me and Charlie packed

about everything we owned,

except for our winter clothes.

We still don’t know

what we’ll be doing

at Aunt Bee’s house

or how long we’ll stay.

Aunt Bee picks up two bags,

and me and Charlie carry the rest.

Don’t worry about art supplies, Paulie.

The bags smack her legs.

I have plenty.

I grab my pencil

and sketchbook anyhow,

but I leave all the rest.

Milo jumps in the back seat.

Even though she doesn’t like dogs,

Aunt Bee is letting Milo come with us.

I hugged her neck

when she told me.

I love Milo.

I didn’t know if I could

leave him behind, and I

guess Aunt Bee knew that.

He’ll have to wear a collar

and a leash at Aunt Bee’s house,

but I don’t think he’ll mind,

seeing as it’s the only way

we could be together.

Milo understands

things like that.

Let’s go home, Aunt Bee says,

like her home has always

been our home, waiting for us.