The sweet silent heat whispers in along with the constant chirping of cicadas. And the wind has blown the clouds to their hiding place behind the hills. They sit there on the grass, as it leaves angry marks on their freckled skins.

Linette braids her hair, pieces falling out here and there forming a halo on her head. Jaly whistles the songs of summer and Sim stares silently at a ladybug attempting to fly.

They don't talk just sit, perhaps stare or make faces till the others laugh, till Mum comes home.

She doesn't come and slowly each in turn gets up to head inside their lonesome red trailer. Its messy inside as it probably will always be.

Jaly says suddenly turning to Sim " Please, clean instead of sittin' out there. It's your turn. And it must be clean before Mum come home."

Sim turns sharply, "You know I dislike cleaning. You know you shou' do it. You know Mum is never coming"

It's the most talk in days. The truth has been said.

"Mum, hasn't died. Has she?" Linette inquires.

"No." Jaly says, "She left"

"She hasn't left" Sim counters, "She's - she's jus' not coming home okay. Maybe some other time just not this summer, she'll come. I'm sure."
They decide on silence, enough talk for today and they resume their favorite hobby, sitting, on the couch.

The three have been fasting on and off since Mum left three weeks 4 days and 19 hours ago in the dead of the night, leaving no trace but Rosemary Red lipstick stains of each of their cheeks. No note, not a word.

So there for in her honor in case she's out there starving.A bread crust every other day. A sip of water.

Their stomachs rumble and Jaly gets up to prepare tea. She takes out week old tea stained cups filling them with water before placing tea bags. It makes the tea taste bitter that way. The best way.

After Jaly passes around the tea they all sip, the taste imprinting on the backs of their tongues.

******************

It will be a sad summer, a long summer, a lonely summer. Just them three, the trailer, and bitter cold tea. A summer of sitting and itching and silence.

Is this what a doctor orders for aching?