Good Night Mammy

Mammy is dead.

Daddy say quiet voice in white room.

Window rain little.

Machine no sound now.



I think maybe joke first.

Mammy always joke.

She say do not call me grandma.

Grandma is old potato lady.

“Call me Mammy,” she say.

“Like movie star.”

Then she laugh loud loud.



But Daddy cry in chair.

So maybe not joke.



Mammy face sleep face.

Hair nice.

Lip little pink.



I touch hand.

Cold.

Very cold.



“Mammy wake up,” I say.

Daddy close eye.

No wake up.



Mammy love Candy Crush.

Every night.

Before sleep.

Before teeth.

Before dream.

Candy time.



When I sick with fever, Mammy carry me to sofa bed.

She put wet towel on head.

“Little potato hot hot,” she say.



Then I sleep.



But night make me wake up.

Throat dry.



TV dark.

Kitchen dark too.

Only Mammy phone light.



Swipe.

Swipe swipe.

Ding.

Sugar crush.



Mammy face blue by phone light.



I stand long time.

“Mammy?”



She jump little.

“Oh! tiny ghost child.”



I think maybe Mammy love candy more than me.



Because when I play, nothing happen.

Only candy move little.

No magic.



Mammy say,

“No no no. Look.”



Then she make shiny ball.

Rainbow dots everywhere.

And chocolate sprinkle candy too.



“Put together,” she say.



I do.



BSSHHHHHHH—



Light go everywhere.

Candy explode.

Red candy.

Blue candy.

Orange candy.

All crash crash crash.



Mammy clap hands.

“You wizard!” she shout.



Then she kiss my forehead.

“My tiny wizard.”



Daddy not put phone in box.



“Mammy need phone,” I say.



Daddy look floor long time.



“No,” he say.

“Heaven very busy place.”



“Busy?”



“Birds everywhere.

Friends everywhere.

Sunny everyday.”



I think little.



“But Candy Crush?”



Daddy mouth shake strange.



“Heaven no need Candy Crush.”



I not say anything after.



But I think Daddy wrong.



Before sleep Mammy always candy.

Always.



If no Candy Crush in heaven,

heaven maybe lonely.



After many sleeps,

many baths,

many school days,

I make paper candies.



Blue paper candy.

Fish paper candy.

Green square paper.



Hard.

Very hard.



I fail many times.



Paper tear.

Glue on finger.



But I make color bomb too.



Black paper with little stars.



And chocolate sprinkle.

Best one.



Daddy take me grave place.



Wind warm today.



Birds there.

Just like Daddy say.



I sit in front of stone.



“Mammy,” I say.



Daddy stand far away.



I take paper candies from bag.



“I bring Candy Crush.”



Wind move little.



“Sorry late.”



I put rainbow bomb near flower.



“And no waiting life anymore.”



Daddy make cry sound behind me.

But quiet one.



I touch stone little.



Cold.

Not scary cold.

Just stone cold.



I put all paper candies down careful careful.



Good night Mammy.

Candy time.