“I remember, Grandma,” Darcy said, overjoyed that for these brief moments, Grandma was almost normal.

“The Moon Monster,” Grandma said, “how it crawls from the moon trailing silk clouds and comes down to the woods and captures people to take back to the moon because it’s so lonely. Oh Lord, how my Mama scared me and my sisters with that story! And I told it to Mattie Mae and Charlotte and my boys. ” Grandma leaned forward a little and looked around, a puzzled expression on her face. “Is Mattie Mae home yet? And Charlotte? Tell those girls to get in and stop rollerskating on the sidewalk. It’s almost dark now, and I want those girls to come inside. ”

“Yes, Grandma,” Darcy said, holding Grandma’s hand until she fell asleep again. A tear slipped down Darcy’s cheek and left a salty trail across her lips. She mourned for what she had already lost of Grandma. The doctors did not know how long Grandma would live, but the grieving had already begun.

In the morning, Jamee ate her breakfast in sullen silence. Mom was still sleeping, but even if she had been at the breakfast table, she probably would not have noticed Jamee’s attitude. Mom was too bone-tired and too nervous about the new hospital administrator to think of much else.

“I’m sorry about last night,” Darcy said. “I didn’t mean to yell at you. ”

Jamee forked scrambled eggs into her mouth and gulped her orange juice. She got up and said in a flat voice, “It doesn’t matter. I mean, what do I care what Bobby Wallace says about me? Like I care what that stupid fool is saying. I don’t even notice him anymore. I don’t care about any guy. I hate them all. ”

“Some guys are nice,” Darcy said.

“How would you know, Darcy?” Jamee asked.

“I know some nice guys at school, even if I don’t date them. Guys like Hakeem Randall. He’s always helping out with food drives and cleanup campaigns and stuff,” Darcy replied.

“Nice is such a stupid word,” Jamee said, strapping on her backpack and heading out the door.

Darcy did not want to spy on her sister, but when Jamee was gone, Darcy looked in her room. She wanted to find out what the sound of shattering glass last night was all about.