Homeless by Nely Cab Page A

Wiley’s
thin face.
         “ Hello, Emily,” Wiley greets his small friend.  “I’m glad
you’re back.”
          Wiley observes that Emily no longer has curly brown locks of
hair. She has no eyebrows or lashes, and she is wearing a hat. His
eyes grow wide in amazement and concern.
         “ Don’t look at me that way. It’s not nice,” Emily
pouts.
         “ I was admiring your hat,” Wiley tries to better Emily’s
composure.
         “ My mommy bought it for me after all my hair fell off,” Emily
says with sadness in her voice.
         “ Well, it’s a nice hat, Emily,” Wiley compliments
her.
          Wiley refrains from asking Emily about her evident,
deteriorating health. He fears he may hurt Emily’s
feelings.
    Silently, they sit admiring the lake for a
moment. Through the corner of his eye, Wiley studies Emily’s
appearance.
         “ Well, aren’t you going to ask me about the cancer?” Emily’s
brow creases as she speaks. “Everybody asks.”
         “ Do you want me to?” Wiley narrows his eyes.
         “ No,” Emily shakes her head. “I don’t like to talk about being
sick. It makes me mad. I just want to play, but I get tired all the
time.”
         “ Hmm…” Wiley nods. “I suppose we can play a guessing game. That
won’t tire you out.”
         “ Okay,” Emily nods.
          The two are spending an enjoyable time playing a game of
riddles. Wiley laughs at Emily’s silly answers to his challenges.
Emily forgets about her illness for the duration of her visit with
Wiley.
    After what seems to be only a few minutes, an
hour has passed, and Emily’s parents tell her it’s time to
leave.
         “ I’ll come back soon,” Emily waves at Wiley.
         “ Promise?” Wiley calls out to her, as she walks to her
parents.
          Emily turns and nods. She is gone again. Wiley has no one to
speak to until she returns.
               
    Summer has come and gone, and it is the
beginning of autumn again, but Emily has not returned. Wiley
wonders when his little friend will ever come back. He wanders
through the lakeside every day in hopes of seeing Emily and her
family.
          One
afternoon, at the end of October, Emily’s family car drives to the
side of the road. Wiley stands from his spot on the grass and waits
for Emily to approach.
          Emily looks healthier. She is wearing a red satin dress and a
white sweater.
    “ She looks like a
princess,” Wiley thinks to himself.
         “ Hi, Wiley!” Emily smiles wide. “See? I promised I’d come
back.”
         “ Yes, you did,” Wiley grins. “I’m happy that you’re better
now.”
         “ Yes,” Emily nods. “The cancer is gone. I can play whatever I
want.”
         “ Would you like to play a game of tag?” Wiley inclines his
body, ready to run.
         “ Not right now,” Emily takes Wiley’s hand. “You and me have to
go home.”
         “ Emily…” Wiley’s expression is puzzled, “I don’t have a
home.”
         “ You’re silly,” Emily giggles. “You’ve been a silly goose all
this time.”
         “ Your parents would never let me go home with you. I’m a
stranger to them, you know?” Wiley tries to explain to the young
Emily.
         “ Oh,
that’s not my home anymore. They don’t need me. They have my baby
brother.”
         “ I don’t think I understand,” Wiley is still
confused.
          Emily raises her index finger as she speaks. “They said I had
to show you the way home because you can’t find it, and that you
don’t have to stay near the lake anymore because no one will find
you anyway.”
          “ Your parents
told you this?” He pulls his hand from Emily’s grip to scratch his
head.
    “ Take my hand!” Emily
stomps her foot as she extends her arm to Wiley. “Don’t you see you
don’t belong here anymore?”
         “ I remember,”