## A Sister, A Mother

In September, Claire and Ben celebrated Lucy’s fifth birthday at home. They had moved the Paris trip to January after Claire was offered a project she wanted to finish. Lucy did not mind. She wore the paper crown while they lit the candles, and Sam insisted on helping decorate her cake.

Martin sent a birthday card. Claire called to thank him. He asked how the children were. He did not ask about taking Eli on the trip.

He also told her he had met Eli’s teacher again. They had arranged another meeting that included the school counselor. Claire was glad he had gone. She did not ask for a report on everything that had been said; Eli deserved some privacy.

A week later, Claire found one of his old birthday cards in a drawer. He had drawn five people beside a crooked airplane: himself, Claire, Ben, Sam and Lucy. He had made every face smile.

For a while she sat with the card in her hand.

Eli could be rude. He had spoiled visits for her children. She was still angry about what he had done to Sam at lunch. None of that made it pleasant to imagine him drawing himself into a trip he had never been promised.

Ben came in and sat beside her.

“You can miss him,” he said.

“I know.”

“And still mean what you told your dad.”

Claire placed the card back in the drawer. That was the part she was trying to learn. She could care about Eli’s loneliness without sending her own children somewhere they felt uncomfortable. She could hope his parents changed without taking their place while she waited.

At Christmas, Martin came alone for lunch. Sam showed him the project he had finished at school. Lucy made him wear the paper crown, which was now too small and held together with fresh tape. He wore it until the meal was over.

Before leaving, Martin asked whether he could call after the family returned from Paris. Claire said yes.

Outside, the winter light was already fading. Claire watched him walk to his car, then closed the door and went back to her children.

Eli was her brother. She hoped there would be a day when they could know each other without every visit becoming a request for her to take care of him.

For now, his parents had work to do. Claire had a family waiting for her in the next room.