The Man in the Moon

She grabs my small hand, and gives it a squeeze. We stare at the sky, the stars, and the moon. She is crying, the one holding my hand. She is crying silently, the worst kind of crying. She looks down at me, her eyes shining with tears.

"He is up there, Amber," she says quietly. I look at the blanket of night above us, wondering if I will see him smiling down at Mama and I.

"Where, Mama, where?" I ask, and she looks back up at the sky. The stars blink down, and it seems like they shine a little brighter just for us. 

"Do you see the moon, my love?" she questions softly. I nod, staring at the beautiful orb. "It is full tonight, for him. For your father. He is up there, Amber, he is up there." She gives an unconvincing smile, like she is begging herself to believe it. I am sure she will, one day.

"So is he... the man in the moon?" I ask, staring at the moon. I can see him there, staring at us with a sad look. The look he gave me when Grammi died, the look of loss.

"I think he is, darling." She lifts me up, and we stare at the moon together, looking for the signs of him.