Oyasumi Lenny

The story which one lady will tell
is about Cathleen Livermore and her lovable family.

My son...was born sickly...and his world...was confined to his <bed>....
Within his small chest...his heart beats...without revealing to anyone...its remaining counts...

I planted lots of colorful flowers in the garden
So that you won’t feel lonely for not being able to make friends
I’ll read you your favorite picture books too
And I’ll always be by your side, because I love you more than anyone else!

Please forgive <your mother>[me] for not giving you a healthier body...
The harsh voyage must have taken such a toll on you, inside my belly...

“Thank you” - for choosing <my womb>[me]...
“Thank you” - for making us your <father> and <mother>...truly...
My husband and I...will put our lives on the line to give you...our <precious treasure>, the utmost happiness!

Then, the lovable family arrived...the country of liberty - America.

“Ah!”
“Get out of my way!”
“Are you okay, Cate?”
“Yes, darling.”

Thanks to my older brother’s support, we survived <the great famine>
“Wow...!” “We’re almost there!” “Mom...Dad...aah!” “Excuse me! Coming through, coming through!”
<Chain immigration>, yet his whereabouts remained unknown...
“We’ll let mom and dad take it easy.” “Will we have a bed, too?” “Yeah, a real comfy one! Haha!”

Taking after the <new world>[country of liberty - America], we first settled down
“Traveling is nice and all, but there aren’t any nice clothes~” “Let’s reach for our dreams!”
In the <city that flourished from gold>, the object of everyone’s dreams - San Francisco
“Alright, guys. We’re gonna dig out that big one!”

On the <morning> that <my son>[Leonard] was born, I experienced such a difficult delivery...
<My husband>[Seán] said “thank you” in tears, and kissed me over and over again...
“Thank you, thank you, Cate!!!! Uoooooaaaaah!!!”

Since then, we’ve been living side by side, a family of three...
“Oh, Lenny! Hahahaha!” “Hey Lenny, look here!” “Oh my, he really is like you!”
My husband[Seán] threw himself into his work to pay the medicine bills. As time goes by...

And then, her lovable family had a new encounter that could have been good luck, or bad luck.

Because of my husband’s <new job>, we had to move to <a city between mountains>
There, my son made his first friend, one that would casually call him by a nickname

“Hey! You’re not from around here, huh?”
“Umm...”
“Woaah! Your head’s like a pumpkin!”
“Ah...”
“The name’s Johnny. Nice to meet you!”
“Y-yes!”

“Pumpkin head” - what a strange nickname
“And Johnny’s really amazing!” “Oh my, really? Ahaha..”
But...you understand, right?
“But he calls people by weird nicknames...I just can’t accept that, nope!”
“Oh?” “Mom...seconds please!”
This is but one of his adorable points, out of <what I’ll call a hundred for
convenience’s sake, but is really infinitely many>[a hundred]!
“You’re eating a lot tonight, hahaha...!” “Hahaha...!”

That night...we were so happy...so happy...that we broke into tears...
“Honey...I can’t believe that he made a friend!”
“Uoaaaaaaaahh!!! We need to commemorate this day for friendship!!”

Even after I married, I didn’t change my last name
Why, you ask? Because my husband’s also a Livermore. Fate sure works in mysterious ways!
“It’s true...I’m not exactly the brightest of the bunch, or the most handsome...but I can swear that I love you more than anyone else, so...umm...how should I put it....yeah, uh....uuuuooooooooh!! Cate!! Will you please marry me!!!”
“Seán....my answer is.....yes!!!”

To think that <his first friend>[Johnny] was also a Livermore
“And Johnny’s a Livermore too!” “Oh my!” “He’s living alone with his mom!”
Ah, isn’t God wonderful!
What a calculated arrangement that is! Or so I thought back then....

“And he says he’s been looking for a cute younger brother just like me, and that’s why he talked to me!”
“Now really! Fufufufu!”
“Mom, seconds please!”
“Haha, you really are eating quite well these days!”

That night...we found it so funny...so funny...that we broke into tears...
“Johnny....Johnny is...ahahaha!”
“Uooaaaaaaahh!! We need to commemorate this day for the Livermores!!!!”

(What were you planning with Johnny after that?
You meant to keep it a secret, I’m sure,
But your mama sees through everything!)

“What are you going to do about that thing we talked about, Johnny?”
“I’m going to be a werewolf! Real men pursue the freedom of dying wolves in hunger! Woooooo!”
“I want to be a wolf too! I’m a real man!”
“I don’t want to see a werewolf looking like you! For one, your head’s weirdly big!”
“Hmph, it’s not just big. It’s big because it’s filled with all of the world’s best smarts!”
“My, my! Of course, I am completely aware of that, professor~”
“Ahahaha..!”

Was your first Halloween that enjoyable?
You were so excited; your heart must’ve had such a big scare...

When I heard the doctor tell me the number
Of your remaining days, my vision turned pitch-black...

But you were looking forward to your last Halloween so much
That, after a great deal of thought, I let you join in...

We’ve decided to not bear grudges against anyone
Neither <destiny>[God], nor <your friend>[Johnny], nor ourselves
Because that child had a smile on his face as he slept....

-Good night.
Good night, Lenny. How many sweets did you get today?
You should brush your teeth before you sleep...or else...you’ll get a toothache!

Halloween! Halloween! Trick or Treat!

I think that he’s still somewhere out there, enjoying the Halloween that never came to an end...
If you ever see a boy whose head looks like a pumpkin, that might be Lenny!
This is the end of my tale.
I don’t care if you think that everything’s made up. Even then...
Just three seconds. Three seconds before you sleep.
In that one instant, can you forget all your troubles, all your hatred, all your sadness...and say this?

Good night.

Lenny.

Translated by Defade.