Makenna was out for a couple of hours, but that wasn’t all bad because she was exhausted.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJeqZnRi05
When finally, she woke up, she opened her eyes and saw the face of Selene smiling down on her. “Selene!” Makenna gasped. She immediately knew the woman hovering over her was Selene. Young Makenna shot to a sitting position, and a blanket she had been covered in dropped onto her lap. Her wings drooped behind her, and meeting eyes with Selene, she asked, “Where am I?” in a groggy voice. Her eyes rotated everywhere. She finally saw that she was inside the shipwrecked sailboat! Despite the boat being thirty-seven feet long, the inside was fairly large, but like any other sailboat, a little bit cramped. Makenna could tell the boat was old, but Selene had fixed it up pretty well. The boat’s ceiling hatch was open, so fresh air could get in, but not the door that led to the lower deck. A kettle of tea was resting on the boat’s stove, and the open hatch sucked the steam out. It was warm in the boat but not too warm. The temperature was just right. While she examined it, Makenna said, “Whoa.” Selene soon left her, and Makenna watched as she picked up a cup of water.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3FoF5vRDQ
Then, returning to her, she offered it to her and said, “Come on now. Drink up.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSkBOojNNu
Makenna saw that she was wearing a nurse cap over her head. “Thank you,” she softly spoke. She accepted the cup and took a sip from it. She couldn’t believe she was actually looking at Selene. She really was real. Makenna was overwhelmed. Another fairy. It truly was another fairy!
Selene again smiled at her, and she said,207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37HAen1vAg
“Ah, throughout my entire 8,000 years of living, I have never met another fairy as exceptional as you, Miss Delling.” Makenna’s eyes widened. Was Selene seriously 8,000 years old?! That would make her even older than Merlin! Not bothering to ask, she took another sip from the cup. Selene chuckled and added, “No, no, I take that back.” Her wand, which was now a wooden cane, was clutched tightly in her hand, and she took a few steps away from Makenna, finishing with, “Your friend is pretty exceptional too.” She chuckled again. Selene reminded Makenna of Yoda. With her blanket still covering her knees, she put down the cup of water and pulled them up close, staring at her.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00SyKnCndm
Finally, she asked Selene, “Did you save us, Selene?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLwrLgxJBv
“I wouldn’t necessarily say ‘save,’” Selene answered, and she stopped at the steaming tea kettle, “But I did assist you. The Octopus Man is bad news, Miss Delling. Weak. You’re too weak.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQHexuWk0H
“Weak?” Makenna asked. There was a pinch of anger in her voice, “What do you mean ‘weak?’ Aren’t I now a Level 2 Metamorphic Fairy?” You could tell she was slightly irritated.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzWBpAFBwa
Selene sure hoped her prissy little attitude wasn’t booting up again. “Yes, you are, Makenna,” she told her. Propping her cane up against the wall, she picked up the tea kettle and poured herself a cup of tea, “However, it doesn’t mean you’re strong enough yet to defeat the Octopus Man and save your friend. He needs you, and you need him.” Makenna gulped.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKQCEhTA5c
In a low voice, she asked Selene, who had just taken a sip from her cup of tea, “Where is he? Where’s Tracey?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMhZ06CRUa
“Ah,” chuckled the wise fairy godmother-like fairy, “our little friend. Merlin’s apprentice.” She set the cup down and pointed her hand toward the bow of the boat, “He’s right there.”
Makenna turned her head toward the bow, and she gasped. There was Tracey. At the bow of the sailboat was the front berth, and he rested on it, with a blanket on top of him, a pillow under his head, and a cold towel over his forehead. Built-in fans were spraying cool air over him. Over his nose and mouth, he was wearing a fairy oxygen mask, a type of oxygen mask that only magical beings could wear. When being worn on a fairy, it usually meant that they were either very low on magic or they had too much magic in their body. It provided them with oxygen, like normal oxygen masks, but also with either very little or a lot of magic, depending on the circumstance. In this world of fairies, fairies had their own illnesses. Each fairy had been provided with a certain amount of magic when they were born, but they had to try to keep their magic at base level. If fairies used up all or most of their magic or used too much magic, then that was a life-threatening illness. It was known as magetical shock or magic shock was another name for it. That was what had happened to Tracey. The Octopus Man had stripped him of too much magic, therefore the mask he wore provided him with both artificial oxygen and extra magic. While he was getting weaker, the Octopus Man was getting stronger.
At the sight of her friend, Makenna quickly pulled the blanket off her legs and swung them over the side of the couch-like berth she was resting on. She jumped to her feet and hurried toward Tracey, with her wings slapping up against the backs of her legs and sliding on the shiny, wooden floor.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgr9DLvojZ
She stopped at him and whimpered, “Oh, Tracey, I’m so sorry.” She rubbed his forehead and saw that he was asleep. Makenna gulped. “Selene,” she asked, “did you put him under another magic coma?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3Y0crO5Ru
Selene shook her head no, “Magic coma no. I did not, Makenna. The mask he’s wearing is providing him with magic. He’s lost too much magic. Extra magic is also basically a sleeping potion, so it’s helping him sleep. Basically, he’s sedated.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgeD5mh1qf
“But what’s wrong with him?!” Makenna yelped. She took her hand away from Tracey’s forehead, “Why is he so ill?! He’s my friend! He…” However, Selene held up her hand as a gesture for her to shut up. Makenna did.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQqkDOM0Pe
Selene picked up her cup of tea, with her eyes closed, and took another sip from it. “Ah,” she spoke, and lowering the cup, she focused her attention on Miss Delling, “Don’t worry, my dear. He’ll be fine. You got him here right on time. I haven’t yet figured out what’s wrong with him, but it’s obviously something that’s stripped him of a lot of magic. Losing magic is like losing blood. You lose too much, you die. Not to mention, he’s lost over 70% of his magic. It’s strange though, he’s usually a very healthy fairy.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLot4UYSohl
“But what’s causing him to lose magic?!” asked Makenna, “Is it a spell? A curse? His arm injury? What is it, Selene, what?!”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK1bXKiULS
“I don’t know yet,” admitted Selene, “But I’m sure it has to do something with the Octopus Man. Miss Delling, I know how you feel about him, but do you think I can keep him here overnight?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8V0Znq8hQ0
“Overnight?” nervously asked Makenna. She didn’t want to leave her friend. He was her friend!207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uq4PcyhML
“Just for tonight,” Selene, who had noticed her nervous face, added, “If I keep him, then it’ll give me a chance to figure out what’s wrong with him. When I do figure it out, I promise I will tell you when I visit you tonight in your dreams. You can pick him up tomorrow after school, and then I want you to take him back to Merlin’s Island. He’ll be in good hands. I promise. I like helping others. When I was a young fairy, maybe 1,000 years old, I worked as a nurse fairy, so this is nothing new to me. Please, Makenna, I can and I will help him.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffUFPwl9If
Makenna sighed and lowered her head, “All right, Selene.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLt88JsmHCd
“You yourself need to get some rest too.” Selene told her, “You’re exhausted. The new transformation and Octopus Man have taken a toll on you too. Go home, Makenna. Go home and sleep on it. I will take good care of Tracey. I promise.” Makenna still didn’t want to leave her friend, but she knew Selene was right. She was exhausted, and a bruise had appeared on her head from where she had hit it when she slammed down on the sand. She had a mild headache.
Makenna turned to Tracey again and said, “Thank you, my friend. I’ll be back.” Leaning forward, she kissed him on the forehead and patted his shoulder. Then, she backed away from him, and Selene moved out of her way. Makenna made her way toward the boat’s back door, and reaching it, she unlatched it. Then, she climbed up the ladder and pushed it open. Outside was revealed. It was sunset. It was a beautiful sunset. Its rays blanketed the clouds which made it even more beautiful. Before Makenna climbed outside to the boat’s stern, suddenly, a hand clasped her wrist and stopped her. The young fairy peered over her shoulder. It was Selene who was holding her.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGbRDdc9H7
She told her, “Be careful going home, my dear.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FGeXNAPDX
“I will,” said Makenna, and she released her wrist, “Thank you, Selene.” She peered back to Tracey one last time, “Goodbye, Tracey. You’ll be okay. I promise. You’re going home tomorrow.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0s0OOYVAvT
“I’ll keep you updated on him.” Selene comfortably spoke. Makenna feebly smiled. Then, nodding, she climbed onto the deck of the boat, and Selene closed the door behind her.
Makenna Delling was standing all alone on the deck. Nobody was on both Seabrook and Kiawah Island’s ends. She held her arms out to her sides and lifted her massive wings. Then, she tiptoed to the bow of the boat and stepped over the torn sail. She stopped at the very front and peered forward to the ocean and dark clouds hovering on its horizon. While Makenna stood there, she tried to think of a way she could help Tracey. If Selene was going to be working on him that night, then he needed somebody there to comfort him. Who though? It couldn’t be Makenna. She had to go home and get some rest. Besides, Selene was going to be visiting her that night in her dreams. Makenna thought about this for a moment. Who could comfort Tracey?
After a bit, she thought of it!207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxY183tkZ0
Gasping, Makenna snapped her fingers and announced, “Of course!” She opened her wings and gave them a flap. She lifted off the sailboat and acted out her flying pose. Makenna was nervous, but she believed she could do this. She flew toward the ocean, with her teeth clenched together, and started to fly in circles. While she flew, she reached for her head, and through telepathy, she begged, “Gina. Gina, please. Hear me. I have failed to protect Tracey from the Octopus Man. He needs you. He’s fallen very ill. Please, Gina, please.” She waited for Gina to respond, but after a bit, she asked herself, “How could she?” Gina was a bird. Makenna doubted she was a magical being. Momentarily, she stopped and started to hover. Again, she tried to call Gina, “Gina. Please.”
Makenna Delling’s cry for Gina went all the way to Merlin’s Island. It was quiet on the island. All the critters were starting to simmer down for the night. All except one…Gina, Tracey’s tern friend. She was standing at the edge of the cliff that could be accessed by Tracey’s secret exit from his room, – it was the cliff he and Makenna first leaped off of when he gave her a tour of the island – and she was staring out at the ocean with her wings folded. Since Tracey first left, that was where you would usually find her. Since he left, Gina had just been waiting for him on the cliff. She was very loyal to him.
Gina was just getting ready to settle down for the night when suddenly, she heard Makenna’s voice!207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEfKOiRWBu
It had been picked up by the wind, and it came toward her, saying, “Gina.” Gina gasped when she recognized the voice. Makenna! It was Makenna! She was communicating with her! Wind rushed through Gina’s feathers, and suddenly, a trail of flower petals, blown by the wind, rushed by her, and Makenna’s voice was heard again, “Gina, please. Tracey needs you. He’s fallen very ill.” Here, Gina seemed to gasp. Makenna added, “He wants you to be there for him. Selene’s keeping him overnight at the shipwreck on Kiawah Island. Gina, I’m begging you.” Gina was worried. What did Makenna mean by “Tracey has fallen very ill.”? She took a step back from where she was resting, and then she too started to communicate with her through telepathy!207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2bHYPi9lt
She too had that power! “What’s wrong with him?!” she asked her, “What do you mean ‘Tracey has fallen very ill?!’”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuprFBvVoP
“He just has!” Makenna called back to her, “Gina, please go to him!”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFNCuJdD2O
Gina nodded, “Right,” and she flapped her wings, lifting into the sky, “But I’ll have to tell Merlin where I’m going.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7eX5a30hqf
“How’s Merlin doing?” asked Makenna, “Is he holding up?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8gizddk2e
“He’s in bed a lot.” Gina explained, “But he is. He’s fine. I just have to fly to him and tell him where I’m going.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5kKu4DtBK
“I understand,” Makenna said, “Please hurry.” She lowered her voice, “I’m talking to a bird.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDyLjsxIZi
Gina scoffed, “I heard that.” She and Makenna finished their telepathic conversation right there, and Gina didn’t waste any time. She flapped her wings and soared into the secret passageway.
Makenna was still floating over the channel, and she mumbled,207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtXWvNIdyH
“Stubborn bird,” under her breath. Then, she cracked a small smile, “I did it though! I communicated with somebody through telepathy! So cool! Don’t worry, Tracey.” She turned her body back toward the sailboat and immediately became serious again, “Gina is coming.” With that, she flapped her wings and soared toward Seabrook Island.
From the outside, the shipwrecked sailboat looked empty. However, it wasn’t. There were two real fairies inside it.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbOCCrkaTm
From the lower deck, Selene was peeping through a porthole, watching Makenna fly away, and she whispered, “Go, little fairy, go.” When Makenna vanished from sight, she took her face away from the porthole and turned in the direction of Tracey. He was still sleeping, not moving a muscle, and his knee was sticking up from under his blanket. He was breathing deeply under the fairy oxygen mask. Selene slowly approached him and reached forward, taking the towel off his forehead. With her other hand, she felt it and sighed, “Oh, poor dear. You’ve still got a really high fever. Hang in there though.” She placed the towel over his forehead again and reached for another blanket, “I’m going to figure out what’s wrong with you. I promise. Then, tomorrow, Makenna’s going to take you home.” Selene picked up the blanket and tossed it over Merlin’s apprentice, over his first blanket. Then, she gently pushed his knee down and whispered, “You’re going to be okay,” to him.
Fourteen-year-old Makenna Delling managed to make it home, even though her wings were exhausted. She basically landed in a heap on her front steps. She landed gently on her knees and plopped down on her front. Makenna groaned.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79odDvUsiu
Then, lifting her head, she mumbled the Sunset Delay spell to herself, “Hidden in the shadow. Across the vast meadow. Blending in the ghetto. Hiding the wings shadow,” and her new transformation went poof in a weak blast of blue and pink fairy dust. Makenna was now dressed in her mathlete costume again. She sighed and took her now shorter hair out of the pigtails which it flopped down over her shoulders. Here, Makenna sighed. Ah, for some reason, it felt good to be a human again. To herself, she mumbled, “Home,” and grabbed hold of a strand of her hair. She started to nervously twirl it. Struggling to her feet, she added, “Well, here goes,” and focused her attention on the front door. Makenna wasn’t ready, but she knew the second she would enter her house, her parents would hammer her. Again, the Metamorphic Fairy sighed. Then, she rested her hand on the front staircase’s railing and started up them.
Mr. Delling, Mrs. Delling, Caleb, and Tony were waiting for Makenna inside. All four of them were in the kitchen, and Mr. Delling and Caleb were hovering over Mrs. Delling who was sitting at the countertop, nervously chewing her nails. Dr. Medford had called them and told them about what happened, so all of them were pretty nervous. Mr. Delling patted his wife’s shoulder and tried to smile, but he couldn’t bring himself to. Caleb kneeled to Tony who was sitting at his heels and stroked him on the head.
Suddenly, the family members heard the front door opening, and here came the voice of Makenna,207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFfS6VvoVz
“Mom, Dad, Caleb, I’m home!” When they recognized her voice, the family members gasped.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0L1eDEouYx
All together they sprinted out of the kitchen and hurried to the front hallway. “Makenna!” Mrs. Delling yelled when she saw her daughter. Tears appeared in her eyes, and she sprinted to her, pulling her into a tight hug, “You’re home! Oh, when we received that call from Dr. Medford, we were just…but you’re home!”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvV0oZnDzuW
“Makenna!” said Mr. Delling. He hugged her right after Mrs. Delling did. Then, after they hugged, Makenna stroked Tony and pulled both him and Caleb into a hug too. She needed to get as many hugs as she could muster.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSWG4bV1Ny
While they were hugging, Caleb whispered to his sister, “Makenna, I was worried about you.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0H3sZPRtMc
“I know.” Makenna comfortably spoke, and hugging him tighter, she rubbed the back of his head, “But don’t worry anymore, Caleb, I’m back. Sorry, it’s been a really bad day.”
Mr. Delling searched the area for a bit and turned on a bewildered expression. Where was Tracey?207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0uCKZJTYp
Approaching his daughter, he nervously asked her, “Makenna, where’s Tracey? Did the paramedics take him off to the hospital?” Makenna shook her head, “No,” and she let Caleb and Tony go. However, Caleb fell onto his front and latched onto her leg. Ignoring him, Makenna added, “We couldn’t have EMS take him away. He’s a fairy! Therefore, I flew him to the shipwreck on North Beach where I met Selene,” Caleb gasped, “and she’s taking care of him. She decided to keep him overnight. She told me to pick him up tomorrow after school and fly him back to Merlin’s Island.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TAk3ObSy7
“Selene?” Mrs. Delling asked, and a question mark appeared above her head, “Whose Selene?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJ473WqrHn
Caleb unlatched himself from Makenna’s leg and stood up, explaining, “Mom, Selene’s the wisest, oldest fairy in the entire world. She visits a Metamorphic Fairy in their dreams and explains to them how they’re doing with their test. She’s basically the mother of all fairies.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroDnR2Ng8n
“Mother of all fairies.” Mrs. Delling sarcastically spoke, “Of course.” She shook her head and took it, turning away. She was still having a little trouble believing all this.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgGvJu9n0m
Caleb opened his mouth to ask Makenna a question, but Mr. Delling beat him to it. “What happened, Makenna?” he asked his daughter, “What happened to Tracey? Do you think we could see him?” Makenna felt a lump in her throat. This was going to be hard to explain. Her father soon took her by the arm and asked, “Do you want to sit down to talk about it?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5R5wzDx2sc
“Please.” Makenna begged. She stumbled. She felt a little bit dizzy. She was just so tired. She was also still a little bit freaked out.
Mr. Delling led her into the living room, followed closely by Tony, Caleb, and Mrs. Delling and sat her down on the couch. Then both he and Mrs. Delling sat on either side of her, and Mrs. Delling took her hand, starting to comfortably rub it. Caleb stopped at her side and sat on her knee. Everybody looked Makenna in the face. There was silence.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiv7mbXzuK
Then, Mrs. Delling spoke, “Tell us what happened, Makenna,” in a kind voice. Makenna nodded.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbilcoOTutC
Sighing, she started the explanation, “Oh, Mom, Dad, Caleb, and Tony, it was scary. During the Spirit Week activity after lunch, Tracey just collapsed. I followed Mrs. Edith, Dr. Medford, and Mr. Gheesling to Mrs. Edith’s office, and soon, Dr. Medford came in and told us that he had called EMS. I knew Tracey needed a hospital, but he couldn’t go to a human hospital!” Her voice started to break. Mrs. Delling squeezed her hand tighter. Makenna continued with, “I managed to convince them though that Tracey and I were fairies because for some reason, while I was in the nurse’s office, I got my second transformation!”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfIrwe4iA3
Here, her family members’ eyes widened, especially Caleb’s. “You did?!” they asked at the same time.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaxJy97Yri
Makenna nodded yes and continued the story, “I don’t know how I got it though. I don’t even think I deserve these new wings yet. Anyways, I knew Selene could help Tracey, so I flew him to the shipwreck.” She sniffed, and tears rolled down her cheeks, “You do not want to see him. He’s a mess. Maybe we should’ve let the paramedics get him. He’s got a really high fever, and for some reason, he’s hurt his arm. Selene’s basically sedated him. He has to wear an oxygen mask; he’s having trouble breathing! You do not want to see him. What’s wrong with him is that he’s lost over 70% of his magic. Something’s causing him to lose his life energy. Selene’s keeping him overnight and most of tomorrow so she can figure out what. I don’t know if he’s going to be okay. He’s in terrible, terrible shape. You do not want to see him.” Here, Makenna was sobbing. Mrs. Delling pulled her into a hug and let her have her cry. Caleb hopped off her knee and nodded, saying, “It’s true. A fairy’s life energy is determined by their magic. Magic is a lot like blood. You die if you lose too much. It sounds to me that Tracey may be cursed or under a spell. I don’t know what, but it’s obviously something that’s caused him to lose a lot of magic.” Caleb’s words made Makenna feel only worse.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BNQCnextF
Snuffling, she asked, “Mom, can I go to bed?” and she peered into her mother’s eyes.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dYBn7siqJ
She released her and nodded, saying, “Sure. Do you want anything to eat?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LUIgCK5fP
“No thank you.” Makenna spoke in a soft voice, “I’m not hungry, Mom. I just want to be left alone tonight.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjO1mG8q8Cz
“All right then.” Michelle said, “See you tomorrow, Makenna.” Makenna nodded but didn’t speak. She got off the couch and made her way toward the staircase that led to her room. Reaching them, she grabbed hold of the railing, and her family members watched as she jogged up them and disappeared upstairs. Exchanging glances with one another, they sighed sadly.
By the time Makenna entered her perfume-scented room, she was sobbing so hard, she was gasping. She shut the door and pushed her back up against it. Then, she searched her room, and her eyes landed on her bed and a wooden stool that was sitting next to her desk. She tightly clenched her fists, and they glowed up blue. Makenna was super, super stressed out. The image of Tracey sedated in Selene’s home with the oxygen mask on him was planted in her brain, and she couldn’t make it leave her. She doubted she would be able to sleep tonight. Makenna didn’t even want to go to school the next day. She just wanted to be with her friend. Yelling in frustration, with tears streaming down her cheeks, she hurried toward her desk and stuck out her toe. She kicked the stool next to it, and it went flying into the wall. It hit the wall so hard that one of its legs broke off. Makenna didn’t bother to pick it up though.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqDRZZyMLQ
Instead, she yelled, “I’m so sorry, Tracey!” and flopped down on her bed, burying her face in the pillow. Her voice was now muffled, “This is all my fault! If only I was strong enough! Then I could’ve protected you from the Octopus Man! But no! I failed! Thanks to me, you’re in the condition you’re in now! Argh!” Tightly clenching her fist, she punched her bedspread, “This stinks! I hate this! I hate this! I hate being a fairy! I just want my normal life back! None of this would’ve happened if I just didn’t pop real wings! Argh!”
For a long time, Makenna sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. She sobbed so hard that finally when she couldn’t produce anymore tears, she was exhausted, and she immediately fell asleep. Soon after she did, Mrs. Delling entered her room carrying a tray that had some dinner on it. She knew Makenna would be hungry. Her motherly instincts told her so. When she saw that she was asleep, she set the tray down and slowly approached her. Slowly and carefully, she lifted the covers and pulled them over her.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6aP2r8AZ5
Then, ruffling her daughter’s hair, she kissed her cheek and whispered, “Everything’s going to be okay, Makenna,” in her ear, “I promise.” She kissed her one last time. Then, she tiptoed to the exit and shut her lights off. Grabbing hold of the door’s doorknob, she said, “I promise,” one more time and carefully shut the door.
