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Lily had a very important job to do before bed: count every single star in the sky.
Bedtime
Lily Counts the Stars
For Lily, age 3
For Lily — our tiny star.
11 pages
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Papa lifted her onto his shoulders. The garden grass tickled his feet.
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“Ready?” said Papa. Lily pointed a pudgy finger at the sky. “Ready.”
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One. Two. Three. The first stars peeked out like shy little candles.
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Four. Five. Six. More appeared, the way freckles appear in summer.
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“Papa,” Lily whispered, “there are SO many.” Papa nodded. “That's the best part.”
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Seven. Eight. Nine. A shooting star raced across the sky and Lily gasped.
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Ten. Elevenny. Twelvety. (Lily's numbers got a little creative after ten.)
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Her eyelids grew heavy. Papa carried her inside, careful not to wake her dreams.
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He tucked her in with her star-print blanket and turned out the light.
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Lily dreamed she was a star too — small and bright and never, ever alone.
