31

Loverly

Even on the best of mornings, Lottica had a difficult time getting herself out of bed. And, after the craziness last night, she felt she had every right to stay nestled in her blankets until well beyond noon. Therefore, she was quite startled to find her mother sitting on the edge of her bed at eight in the morning softly singing "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" from the musical My Fair Lady.

Lottica struggled to wake up. Struggled to make sense of her mother at her bedside. Struggled to reconcile the events of last night with a rational universe. It was all good and fine to talk about myths and legends late on a Halloween night, but it was morning now, and the light of reason needed to shine and set things straight.

At least that's how Lottica wanted it to be. Yet, in studying the stars, she’d discovered the larger universe, possibly a metaverse, was not a place with easy answers. In part, that’s what fueled her interest in astronomy. The sense of infinite possibility, of unfathomable mysteries, kept her gazing night after night at impossibly distant stars and planets.

Maybe she needed to consider what happened to her parents in those terms. Weren't her parents just such a revelation? Like a supernova waiting to be discovered and understood?

Through half-closed lids, Lottica watched her mother who seemed entranced by her gentle singing. Her poor mother's face in the early morning light appeared even more mottled and swollen. Her rich auburn hair flat and tangled. Still, her mother’s eyes brightened as she sang. Like starlight. A vast constellation of love in her tender voice.

Lottica didn’t need a telescope to see that. Just her heart.

"Morning," Lottica whispered.

Her mother's punished, puffy, but perfect face drew close...

"Mommy, you look…"

...to kiss her daughter lightly on the forehead.

“…loverly."