We found cans of food: Sylvan’s favorite, baked beans with molasses, and chicken soup, and crackers. No milk.
“I don’t like milk, anyway,” said Flora.
The wind picked up suddenly, and the cracking and falling of tree limbs shook the cabin. The lights flickered, and we found an oil lamp in case the power went out.
“You can sleep in Sylvan’s bed,” I said.
“I want to sleep with you in front of the fire,” said Nickel.
“Me, too,” said Flora.
We gathered pillows and blankets and Sylvan’s old green sleeping bag.
The wind grew stronger. A large thump of a big tree limb fell outside.
The lights went off, then on, then off again.
I lay on the red rug.
Flora slept right away.
After a while Nickel turned and put his arm around me.
The way it used to be.
In the night I got up once to push up the door lever with my nose and go outside into the wind.
Nickel raised his head.
“Where are you going?”
His voice sounded frightened.
“I’m going to pee,” I said.
I heard Flora’s sleepy, comforting voice in the dark.
“He’s a dog,” Flora said softly.
“Oh right,” said Nickel. “I keep forgetting that.”
I came back to my red rug next to Nickel.
His arm went around me again.
“Sometimes I forget, too,” I said to Nickel.