our new home

We arrive at our new house, with our new family. We call daddy to tell him we are safe. He asks how everything is going. We tell him that we are doing great. We are 10 and 7, but already we are good liars. Our new aunt and uncle tuck us into our new beds in our new room. There is no bedtime story. I make sure little brother has his bear. When the lights are off I can hear him crying. I stay awake until he is quiet. I hate myself for letting this happen to him. The red numbers on the alarm clock say 3:33, and then I fall asleep.