The Unexpected Guest

This post was written in response to this week's Red Writing Hood prompt on the Write on Edge. It is as follows:

“The cure for anything is salt water….sweat, tears or the sea.”
~ Isak Dinesen, pseudonym of Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke

For your Creative Non-Fiction tell us about the last time that one of these three things “cured” you. If you are going with Fiction, have your character resolve a problem using one of the three (or all three!!!). 

I went for fiction. I hope you enjoy it.
 
"Mommy, I did bad."

I braced myself for the confession of some silent, disastrous mess made while I ignorantly stole some reading time for myself. As her eyes met mine I saw a sadness there that sent an ice pick through my heart,"Come sit, Honey, what is it?"

"...memember the beach today?" she's so serious.

I nod.

"A-and memember you said I was so lucky acause I saw the star?"

"Of course! That starfish was beautiful," I didn't know how this made her unhappy. I tried to change the mood, "Remember its colors? What colors did you see?" she's a fan of color recall, this should've scored a smile.

Wrong. It brought tears, "I think it's ick. I think I hurt it."
"What do you mean it's sick? I'm sure the starfish is fine," why was she still thinking about this?

The little hand that had been in her pocket the entire time, emerged in a tiny fist. She opened it, and sniffling, asked, "Mommy, no more colors? I made them go away?"

It was her starfish. Not on the beach where I last saw it, but in her gentle hand with a piece of pink lint hanging on one of its legs. Somehow, I know this is my fault.

"Oh Baby, it needs the sea, that's all. We'll have to bring it home."

"Then I won't be lucky?"

Mea culpa.

In the kitchen I mixed water with salt in a glass, "This is Starfish's sleeping bag for the sleepover you guys are having tonight, but tomorrow, we have to bring him back home, OK?"

"We're having a sleepover?" She smiled as she looked through the glass and my heart melted as she whispered, "I am lucky."