Free Take Me Home by Nancy Herkness

fight, which left all four of them sprawled at various angles across the bed. Holly’s wrist lay about six inches from Claire’s nose, and she noticed a new bruise discoloring her sister’s pale skin. The fresh evidence of Holly’s Lyme disease hardened the lump of dismay in Claire’s stomach.
    “I hope Brianna and I have fun like this when we’re old,” Kayleigh said.
    “You will, honey,” Holly said, pushing off the bed. “It’s a sister thing.”
    Longing speared through Claire. If only this lighthearted play wasn’t all for the benefit of the little girls.
    Claire busied herself with rehanging the items Holly and her daughters had rejected. Eavesdropping on the debate amongst the three made her smile and blink back tears at the same time. She remembered how wrenching her divorce had been, and she had no children to worry about shielding from the ugliness.
    “Aunt Claire, your outfit’s ready,” Brianna called out. “Close your eyes and I’ll lead you.”
    Claire braced herself as she let Brianna pull her to the foot of the bed. Opening her eyes, she relaxed. Except for a few morepieces of jewelry than she would ordinarily wear, the outfit was great.
    “This is fantastic!” Claire turned to her sister. “You didn’t tell me that we had two fashion mavens in the family.”
    “We like to cut out the clothes from
Vogue
and
Elle
and rearrange them so normal people could wear them,” Holly said. “It’s one of our games.”
    Claire turned back to the bed so Holly wouldn’t see her tear-filled eyes. Laid out like a magazine display was a purple full-skirted dress fastened down the front with giant black buttons, the black-and-purple pumps Brianna had been wearing, and a narrow black belt to cinch the waist.
    Kayleigh had added several slim black-and-gold bangles and gold hoop earrings with jet drops dangling from the bottoms. There was even a white scarf with black polka dots, which Claire was dubious about until she put the dress on and Holly wrapped the scarf over her head and around her neck. It was the perfect touch of whimsy.
    After a session with the Brush of Doom, Holly declared Claire’s ensemble complete.
    “Wait!” Claire said. “You all deserve a reward for your outstanding work.”
    She scooped the gold chiffon scarf up off the bed and wrapped it around Brianna. “For your soaring imagination.”
    The glinting bangle was slipped back on Kayleigh’s wrist. “To match your sparkling eyes.”
    She reached up on the closet shelf and took down a bright-red Kate Spade handbag Holly had been strutting in front of the mirror with earlier. “To hold the memory of tonight.”
    “I can’t take this,” Holly said, pushing the bag away. “I know what these cost.”
    “You know that credit card commercial about what everything costs until you get to the last item and it’s priceless? Well,this evening has been priceless for me. When I see you carrying this bag, it will remind me of it.”
    “I shouldn’t, but thank you,” Holly whispered, cradling the leather bag as though it were spun glass.
    Claire hadn’t given away anything that mattered to her, yet the three recipients looked at their gifts as if they were made of solid gold.
    “Girls, why don’t you go downstairs and watch the Disney Channel?” Holly said abruptly. “I’m going to help Aunt Claire straighten up here.”
    “Yay! Maybe
Wizards of Waverly Place
is on,” Kayleigh cheered as she and her sister dashed for the door. Holly limited their television watching, so this was a rare treat.
    “You sit right down and watch me clean up,” Claire said. “I know you’re exhausted. And I notice you have another bruise. I wish you’d take it easier.”
    Holly crossed her arms so the bruise was hidden. “It doesn’t hurt.”
    “Well, that’s good. Now sit and rest.”
    Holly dropped onto the dressing table’s chair without further argument. “I wasn’t sure whether I should tell you this, but I decided you should