Save A Prayer
Laynie and Colin used to play Uno every Sunday when they got home from church. Their father would disappear in his den to watch football or baseball, depending on the season. Their mother would busy herself with making dinner or calling relatives. But the Hart children would always play Uno. Laynie liked the colorful cards and Colin liked that he could still beat her at the game even if she whipped his ass in War.
The games became less and less frequent as they got older, reserved then only for holidays when they both wanted to escape their prescribed roles: The Golden Child and The Other. Otherwise, most Sundays Colin would go off with Bright and Laynie would be left to fend for herself.
Then the accident happened and there was no one to play cards with her on Sundays after church. While her parents prayed for Colin, Laynie played cards; she made the deck her rosary and the each game was a Hail Mary or an Our Father.
One Sunday Bright stopped her before they left church. She told him she couldn't talk -- she had to go home to play. To pray. He didn't laugh at her; instead he just smiled and quietly asked if he could play too. From that point on, every Sunday till she was shipped off to school, they sat on the floor of Colin's room playing cards. Praying together.
When Colin woke up he didn't remember the games and Bright didn't mention them. Neither did Laynie.
Two days ago a brand new Uno deck arrived for Laynie at St. Margaret's. There was a note from Bright enclosed telling her that she should play.
Bright will call soon and let her know how the surgery went. Whether or not she still has a brother. But until then she slaps the cards down on her floor, one after another.
Blue.
Red.
Yellow.
Black.