Chapter 14 - Lily Draws the House
Lily processed through drawings.
Our house.
Stick figures.
Me.
Emma.
Lily.
Sometimes Mark outside.
Sometimes inside.
Diane nowhere.
One drawing had a giant crown on the roof.
I asked:
“What’s that?”
“House queen.”
“Who?”
“House.”
Not me.
Good.
Then she drew a boy.
I froze.
“Who’s that?”
“Imaginary brother.”
My stomach turned.
“Why?”
“Grandma wanted.”
“What’s his name?”
“Kevin.”
Of course.
“What does Kevin do?”
“He has to mow.”
I laughed so hard I scared her.
Then she explained:
“Grandma says boys get house. If Kevin gets house he has chores.”
Children equalize inheritance through lawn care.
Then:
“Can Kevin be baby?”
“If you want in the drawing.”
“Do we get baby?”
“No.”
She shrugged.
“Okay.”
The imaginary boy did not become a forbidden subject.
We let him become silly.
Kevin appeared in three drawings.
Then vanished.
May you like
Good.
Fantasy lost power when adults stopped treating it like a missing family member.
