“Just make sure you’re home by 10:00,” her mother said. “I’m working the late shift that night, so I’ll be here when you get back. You can tell me all about what happens,” she added with a smile.

“Thanks, Mom,” Darcy grinned and floated off, wrapped in private daydreams.

Jamee, however, was not nearly so thrilled. She left the dinner table and went to Grandma’s room. She hardly ever did that anymore. When Grandma was well and lived in her own little house, Darcy and Jamee spent a lot of time there. Jamee would race in first and fly into Grandma’s arms. But now that Grandma was so confused and different, Jamee avoided her most of the time.

Darcy heard voices from Grandma’s room.

“Grandma, do you remember hiking and the mountains?” Jamee asked in a forlorn voice.

“Is that you, Jamee?” Grandma asked.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Jamee said. “Do you remember, when we’d go hiking, and then sometimes go back at night just to look at the stars and the moon? Remember how bright the moon was, Grandma?”

“I’m glad we went hiking,” Grandma said. “The air smells so nice. It’s the pines, you know. ”

“Yeah,” Jamee mumbled, sounding incredibly sad.

“I can’t see the moon, Jamee. It’s so dark. I can’t see the moon at all. Tell me what it looks like. ”

“It’s big, real big, and the Moon Monster is about ready to come down. He’s lonely, Grandma. He’s so lonely. He wants to catch somebody and take that person back to the moon so he has somebody to talk to. ”

“Did you girls and your Daddy catch plenty of fish? Carl is such a good fisherman. Mmm, don’t they smell good, child?”

Grandma must have fallen asleep then, and Jamee left the room without saying anything. She went to her room and closed the door.

Friday began like an ordinary day. Jamee left for school with her backpack at the regular time. She did not eat much breakfast, but then she usually didn’t. She did not talk much, but that was not unusual either. Darcy did not pay much attention to her because she was excited about going to the concert that evening with Hakeem.

Thinking about Hakeem crowded most everything out of Darcy’s mind. She did not even think much about her father. Darcy had gone on a couple of dates before, but never with somebody she really liked, someone like Hakeem. After English, she saw him in the hallway, as always. But this time, she looked him in the eyes and smiled.

“Are we still on for the concert?” he asked.

“We certainly are,” Darcy said. “I can’t wait!”