Page 66 of Left Behind

“Yes. It’s called a nightgown. That’s what it’s for. To sleep in,” he said.

She ran her little hands down the front of it, then reached for her doll.

“Can Pinky sleep with me?”

“Yes, ma’am. That’s why she’s so soft, so you can hug her while you sleep.”

The whole concept of having something to sleep with was foreign.

“One last thing and you’re ready for bed,” he said.

“What’s that?” Ava asked.

“We have to brush our teeth, right?”

“I don’t have a toothbrush,” she said.

“You have a new one,” Wiley said. “It’s in your bathroom. Come on. I’ll put toothpaste on it for you.”

She was all eyes, watching the ritual. Absorbing the rules of the house. Determined to do everything right so Bubba wouldn’t be sorry he kept her.

He was still waiting for her when she came out of the bathroom again, but instead of just putting her in bed and leaving, he tucked her and Pinky in, then leaned over and kissed her forehead.

“Gotta have a good-night kiss for sweet dreams,” he said.

“Where will you be, Bubba?”

“Right across the hall in my room. I’m going to shower and brush my teeth and get my pajamas and go to bed, too. I might watch a little TV. Will the noise bother you?”

“No. Corina always slept with the TV on.”

“That’s not a good idea. Everybody needs quiet time, right?” Wiley said.

She nodded. “Yes. Quiet is magic. Sometimes when I get really quiet, I disappear, and then Corina can’t throw things at me.”

Jesus wept. Wiley was dumbstruck.

“Did she ever hurt you?” he asked.

“Sometimes. But I didn’t bleed.”

The fact that Ava thought that was a level of okay was horrifying, and there was another question burning into his gut. He had to ask, but was scared shitless to hear the answer.

“Did she ever leave you with people who hurt you or touched you when you didn’t want them to?”

“No. Mostly they forgot about me, ’cept for Miss Mattie. She was nice.”

“Okay then,” Wiley said. “I’ll turn the TV off later, and when the house gets quiet, then just remember it’s working its magic, making us safe.”

She nodded. “Yes. Quiet is good, Bubba. And we pulled the shades and closed the curtains, so we’re safe.”

He cupped the side of her face. “Yes, baby, you’re safe. I’ve got this! Now close your eyes. You can hear the TV, and I’m going to get in the shower.”

“Okay. Don’t worry. I know how to be still,” she said, and rolled over onto her side with Pinky tucked beneath her chin.

He patted her shoulder, then walked into his bedroom, turned on the TV, and then turned the sound down a little and headed for the shower. He hadn’t slept in pajamas since he was in middle school, but that was all changing now. He grabbed a pair of gym shorts out of his dresser and headed for the bathroom and closed the door, then turned on the water to let it get warm while he stripped. It was the quickest shower he’d ever taken, and as soon as he dried and put on his shorts, he went to check on Ava.

She was motionless. Like she’d promised. She knew how to be still.

---