"Why don't you carry her up to bed, Rory?" Mum asked. "I'm getting ready for bed."

I was in deep sleep, so I didn't wake up when Dad picked me up and carried me upstairs to my room. He opened the door and carried me to my bed. He held me in one arm as he pulled the blue cover back. Then he gently laid me down in the bed and pulled the cover over me.

"Goodnight, Courtney." Dad said as he kissed my head. He went to the wall and knelt down to turn on my nightlight that projected the night sky onto the ceiling. Then he left to join Mum.

I slept for a couple hours before being woken up by voices downstairs. I grumbled and rubbed my tired eyes. Being the curious toddler I was, I got out of bed and left my room. I tiptoed down the hall and sat down at the top of the stairs.

"It's been so long, River." I heard Mum say

"It's only been a week for me, mother." An unfamiliar female voice replied.

Who's that? I thought to myself. I've never heard that voice before.

I held onto the bars of the railing as I quietly went downstairs. I stood in the doorway of the living room where Mum and Dad were talking to a woman with insane curly blond hair.

"Who dat, Mama?" I asked as I pointed at the curly haired woman. Everyone stopped talking and looked at me.

Dad came up and picked me up. "Courtney, this is your big sister River," he said as he nodded to the curly haired woman. "River, this is your little sister Courtney."

"Sissy?" I asked.

River stood up and smiled. "I'm your big sister, Courtney."

I giggled and reached for River. Dad handed me to her.

"River." I said as I hugged her.