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“Good morning, sunshine,” Susannah sang out as she bustled into Kitty’s room. “Did you sleep well?”
Susannah’s mom had defied just about every piece of medical advice by letting Kitty sleep on her stomach, where she seemed the most comfortable, and Susannah certainly wasn’t one to change such a long-standing tradition. She perched on the side of her sister’s bed and began massaging her back.
“How’s my favorite sister doing today? Did you dream about Prince Charming?”
Kitty squirmed beneath Susannah’s touch.
“Did he dance the night away with you?”
More wiggling.
“Did he sing you love songs? Did it sound like this?” Susannah hummed the first few measures of My Girl. It was too much excitement for Kitty, who kicked her legs three times and tried to slap her pillow.
“All right now,” Susannah coaxed, “you’ve got to calm down a little bit or you’ll have a hard time with your breakfast. Let me work a tiny bit more on your back. No, I’m not tickling, I’m just trying to get this muscle to relax. Then we’ll get you in your chair. I have a really good idea. Let’s eat breakfast in the dining room today.”
Susannah was ashamed for how lax she’d gotten about her sister’s mealtime routines. When Mom was alive, Kitty ate every meal in the dining room unless she was sick, but Susannah could tell it was uncomfortable for her sister to shuffle in and out of the wheelchair, so she usually let Kitty decide where she wanted to eat. If she wasn’t paying close attention, Kitty could go an entire day without getting out of bed. Even though Susannah was careful to turn her regularly so she wouldn’t get bedsores, she knew her mom had the right idea about getting her sister out of her room.
It was easier in the summer, when the Orchard Grove heat conspired with their very sporadic air conditioning unit to force them out of doors, into the bright sunshine. Susannah couldn’t even remember the last time Kitty had been outside.
Well, God, life isn’t going exactly as I expected it, but I have so much to be grateful for. In spite of all that you’ve brought me through, even though I don’t feel you right now, I know you’re with me and Kitty both. You have given us so many blessings, and I’m forever thankful. Help me to keep my eyes on you today, and I know that everything is going to turn out just fine.