Carries Playhouse Page

As the car pulled out of the driveway, Carrie looked back. The willow tree waved in the wind. Through the dusty rear window, she could just see the little crooked door.

Years later, Carrie would drive past that old house with her own little girl asleep in the back seat. The willow tree was still there. The playhouse was gone—torn down by a new owner who wanted a garden. carries playhouse

Then came the letter.

The night before the moving truck came, she couldn’t sleep. She crept downstairs, pulled on her rain boots, and walked to the willow tree with a flashlight. As the car pulled out of the driveway, Carrie looked back

Her mother’s smile was gentle but tired. “The new yard doesn’t have a shed, sweetie. But you’ll have a bigger room. You can paint it any color you want.” Years later, Carrie would drive past that old