The Secret Sisters Club

Chapter 5: THUNDER & LIGHTNING

A clap of thunder rattled the window. Tillie sat up straight in her bed. Her room lit for a brief moment like the strobe light at the skating rink. A second clap of thunder followed.

She snatched her pillow to her chest and hugged it tight. It’s just a storm. Nothing to freak out about.

Tillie slid off her bed and headed toward the door. She willed her heartbeat to slow while searching the darkened room for Ginnie. Disappointment flooded her as surely as the rain splashing against the window cascaded down the pane. Ginnie loved storms and told Tillie crazy stories to calm her when they were together when thunder and lightning raged outside.

One time Ginnie had suggested wishing on lightning like they would on falling stars. They wished for ice cream and Uncle Jake had actually offered them some. Another reason we should be sisters, Ginnie makes me feel brave.

The last time Tillie had got caught in a downpour at the farm, she had paced back and forth in the family room. Toran explained that moist warm air collides with cooler air and forms rain. He kept  Tillie busy teaching her about the four types of thunderstorms and explaining what conditions needed to be met for each to exist. He never once made her feel stupid and his explanations calmed her fears.

That was one of many cool things about Toran. As long as he understood how things worked, he didn’t spend much time stressing about why they did. He certainly didn’t assign random motivations to inanimate objects like Tillie did. To Toran, a storm was just a storm, created because the atmospheric conditions were right. It wasn’t a punishment for doing something wrong.

A brownie will make me feel better.

Tillie tossed her pillow onto her bed and opened the door. She passed Mom’s door and stopped. A strange noise came from the room. It sounded like a sob. She poked her head in the room as Mom reached for a tissue.

“Oh!” Mom slammed a blue leather-bound book closed. “Tillie, you scared me.”

“I didn’t mean too. I heard you crying.” Tillie rushed to her bed. That’s wrong?” 

Mom shook her head. “Nothing. I’m fine. Go back to bed.”

“You’re not fine. Why’re you crying?”

“Because I’m being silly.” Mom’s eyes begged her not to argue. “Please go back to bed.”

Tillie searched her mom’s face, debating whether she would obey or not.

Mom turned away and blew her nose. She pulled a fresh tissue from the pink box and dabbed her eyes. “I watched a sad movie and I’m being silly. Quit worrying. I’m fine.”

No, you’re not. Tillie gave a slow nod. She was tempted to ask the name of the movie, but didn’t want to catch her mom in a lie. She leaned in for a hug. “Want a brownie?”

“Sure. Maybe with some milk?”

“Okay.” She left her mom’s room. When she returned, the blue book had disappeared. In its place was a well-worn novel. The box of tissues sat underneath the peach lamp. “Thanks, Tils, this will go perfectly with Pull of the Yew Tree.” Mom took a sip of milk and set her glass on the nightstand. “You’re a doll.”

Tillie crawled up next to her mom and hugged her, throwing Mom her most insistent smile. “I know. But I still want to know why you were crying.”

Mom returned the hug, scolding in her "I’m not really mad, but please do as I say" voice. “Matilda Grace, I already told you why.” She bent and touched their foreheads together. “It’s my job to take care of you, not the other way around. Let me be the parent.”

“Okay, Mom, whatever you say.” A flash of lightning lit up the room. Tillie snuggled against her mom and closed her eyes. 

But I have a back-up plan. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight: Please help Mom and D.T. get together so Ginnie and I can be sisters … for REAL.