Storytime by Firelight

Maya led her down the hall, past a row of blank walls and closed doors, to the library. The room held a fire that had gone down to red seams in the grate. Damon sat in a chair near the mantel, one ankle over the other, a book open in his hand.

He looked up once.

Natalie stopped in the doorway.

The green dress was on her now. The bodice fit too well. She had pinned her hair back, but a few strands had escaped at her jaw. Maya stood beside the chair, rabbit tucked hard against her ribs.

Damon’s gaze moved from Natalie’s shoes to the dress to her face.

He closed the book.

No smile. No comment.

Maya climbed onto the rug, pulled a picture book from a low shelf, and carried it to Natalie with both hands.

The cover showed a brown rabbit with one ear bent.

Natalie took it. “This one?”

Maya nodded.

Damon rose and took the other chair by the fire. The room seemed to shift around that small movement. Natalie sat on the rug where Maya pointed. The child settled against her leg, warm through the wool.

Natalie opened the book. Her voice sounded odd in the quiet.

“‘There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid…’”

Maya did not move.

Page by page, the fire hissed. Natalie turned the paper with careful fingers. Damon did not interrupt. Once, when Maya leaned back against her knee, his hand hovered near her shoulder, then rested there for one brief second.

At the end, Maya took the book and pressed it to her chest.

Damon’s eyes stayed on the child.

Then, for the first time, they moved to Natalie with something in them she could not name.

Outside the library, the house remained shut and cold.

Inside, the fire kept burning.