she said above them

She watched them look at her; they did not move. Her face altered as if a very low light had gone on behind it. “Come here, my darlings,” she said, and smiled, and squatted with her hands out towards them. Rufus came shyly; Catherine ran. She took one of them in each arm. “There, my darlings,” she said above them, “there, there, my dear ones. Mother’s here. Mother’s here. Mother has wanted to see you more, these last days; a lot more: she just—couldn’t, Rufus and Catherine. Just couldn’t do it.” When she said “couldn’t” she held them very tightly and they knew they were loved. “Little Catherine”—and she held Catherine’s head still more tightly to her—“bless her soul! and Rufus”—she held him away and looked into his eyes—“you both know how much Mother loves you, with all her heart and soul, all her life—you know, don’t you? Don’t you?” Rufus, puzzled but moved, nodded politely, and again she caught him to her. “Of course you do,” she said, as if she were not speaking to them. “Of course you do. “Now,” she said, after a moment. She stood up and drew them by their hands to the bed. They sat down and she sat in a chair and looked at them for a few seconds without speaking. “Now,” she said again. “I want to tell you about Daddy, because this morning, soon now, we’re all going down to Grampa’s and Grandma’s, and see him once more, and tell him good-bye.” Catherine’s face brightened; her mother shook her head and placed a quieting hand on Catherine’s knees, saying, “No, Catherine, it won’t be like you think, that’s what I must tell you about him. So listen very carefully, you too, Rufus.” She waited until she was sure they were listening carefully. “You both understand what has happened to Daddy, don’t you. That something happened in the auto, and God took him from us, very quickly, without any pain, and took him away to heaven. You understand that, don’t you?” They nodded. “And you understand, that when God takes you away to heaven you can never come back?” “Never come back?” Catherine asked.