Lilith blinked and something wet rolled down her cheek.
A tear.
She wiped it away quickly with the back of her hand.
She blinked again. Another tear.
She wiped that one too.
Her lower lip trembled.
No. She didn't want to cry. Not here. Not now. Her brothers were in the other room. The others were there too. They would see her. They would ask questions. They would worry.
She was big two. Big twos don't cry.
She sniffled and wiped her cheeks with both hands. She pressed her lips together tightly, trapping the tears inside.
Then she looked at the photo again. She pulled it close to her chest and hugged it.
"Mama," she whispered. "Daddy."
She closed her eyes.
In her mind, she could see them. Mama's warm arms. Daddy's deep voice when he read stories to her and played with her.
She missed them.
Even though she was having fun. Even though the mountains were pretty and the peach blossoms smelled sweet and Boo was funny and the others were kind.
She still missed them.
