“She’ll be back,” Grandmother said. “A few weeks and she’ll return, you might spend the whole summer here.”

Epona continued to look out the window, searching for any sign her mother might have changed her mind and was returning. Her mother needed her. After all, who else would remind her to eat, or to stop at a gas station? She was certain her mother couldn’t survive without her. Epona told herself her mother would come back for her in a few days, a week at the longest. She didn’t want to think of the alternative, that her mother was never coming back.

“Dinner is at five, be sure to wash up before you come down.” With that, her grandmother left Epona alone in the room.

Epona sat on the bed and bounced gently on it to test it. The bed barely moved, but it was soft and very clean. She counted the hundreds of rosebuds on the beadspread and tried to focus on one thought. 

“She will be back.” Epona whispered, hoping it wasn’t a lie.