she used to sleep?” “Huh?” “Your girlfriend. Did she sleep in the spare bedroom, because my mom told me a man and a woman shouldn’t sleep in the same room if they aren’t married.” “Uhhh,” Miles stammered, “She had her own place where she slept.” He said, rubbing his arms. “Hm, classy girl. I would’ve liked her. Now, where is it? I’ve had a long day. I’d like to go to bed now.” Miles just stared at her, in awe that this little girl was only seven. Who is she? Miles shook his head to clear his thoughts and picked up Candace’s bags. “Here this way.” He took her stuff to the room while she followed behind. “Thank you I can take it from here now,” she told him, getting some of her stuff settled already. He noticed she never once put her doll down. “Okay, just holler if you need me then.” He barely got out before she shut the door in his face. Miles was wondering if he had his work cut out for him. “I’m in for a real treat,” he said to himself. He went and busied himself getting ready for the weekend, his first full weekend without Sheila. Before he went to bed himself, he wanted to check on his little high maintenance roommate. He gently opened up the door, careful not to wake her just in case she was sleeping, but she wasn’t sleep at all. “And Lord, please don’t let me be sad, I don’t want to be sad anymore, please let me happy. Kiss my parents for me, and oh Lord, please don’t let Mr. Stone be sad either. Amen.” “Amen,” Miles said from the doorway, causing Candace to trip getting up. “I’m sorry,” he laughed. “I didn’t mean to scare you, but you know Candace, it’s okay to be sad. You lost the two people who loved you very much, you don’t have to ignore how it makes you feel.” She thought it over for a while, “I don’t?” “No, you don’t, it’s okay for me to be sad too, but you know what? If you want to be happy, then I’ll just have to be happy with you.” “You will?” Her eyes lit up. “Of course, we’ll both be happy that way; if one of us has a bad day, one of us can cheer the other up. Unless, of course, we’re both sad, then we’ll have to do this!” He broke out in a headstand but toppled over crashing into the bookshelf. “Ouch” Candace let out a loud giggle, “You’re silly, Mr. Stone. Thanks.” “You can call me Miles, but you’re welcome, Ms. Candace. Now to bed, you go, we gotta find you a school tomorrow.” She nodded her head, but before she got in the bed, she ran over and gave him a hug. Miles squeezed her tight before letting her go, then he shut off her light and closed the door. “I guess this won’t be so bad after all,” he said after getting in his own bed. “Easy peasy.” Exhale So much for easy peasy, Candace had been in school less than a month, and Miles was already getting a call about a second fight. “She did what?” He yelled into the phone. “I’m on my way,” he sighed. Miles had thought taking Candace in was going to be a cakewalk considering how well mannered and independent she was. He thought they were working on the grieving process together, but it seemed like Candace still had a long way to go. When Miles made it to the school, he went straight to the principal’s office. He took one look at the little girl with the broken glasses and cut off ponytails and new that was the work of Ms. Candace. He rubbed his hand down his face, not believing Candace could do something so crazy, but then again, yes, he could. “Okay, what happened?” He asked, looking at the principal, but instead, Candace butted in. “She cut Mother Claudia’s hair. See!” She waved the doll in his face, showcasing the once full and long
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