Lying next to these leaves is the closest thing to company that I'll find at two in the morning, unless that neighbor boy is still on his front porch. I imagine his cigarette moving down those neighbor-steps, and invading my front yard.
He will say, "Hello, little lady. Don't let me startle you".
"I don't mean to be forward, ma'am, and I know we haven't met yet, but I wanted to know if I could do a little star-gazing with you".
My hair is still wet, and little droplets run around the trampoline as I roll over. The neighbor boy is barefoot. He climbs over the tattle-taling springs respectfully, and lays down on the leaves that have fallen on my trampoline. Hands behind his head, he points his face to the summer sky, but then back to me.
"I asked your daddy about you after mowing yesterday", he says. I want to ask him if there was jealousy on daddys' face, but he answers: " he's a proud father".
"I'm Sarah Elizabeth", I tell him, but keep looking at the stars.
He understands that I'm not interested in a conversation. I lay my hand out beside me, like an invitation, and he rubs my palm between his thumbs, and holds my hand up to the darkness.
"You know, you wouldn't feel so alone, if your hand wasn't so tiny against that big sky, little one". I wonder if he's seen me do that on my own.
"You enjoy your loneliness too much, Sarah Elizabeth".
It's daddy. He can't climb over the rail, but he knows that my tears are rolling around the trampoline, along with water from my dripping hair.
"I can't help it, daddy", I say.
Daddy reaches across the springs and holds my hand.
Like the wisest of men, daddy knows I'm not interested in a conversation.
"Come inside soon, Sugar", he says. "I miss you".
That cigarette light is as far away as the stars above my head.
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