(Epilogue)
I fell back asleep. I didn’t know when they left.
Tom was sitting there.
He was playing with something.
I smelled something bad.
He saw I was awake. He came to me with
what he had been holding.
“Laura, I was going to come yesterday, but I
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was looking for something.”
“I found your letters. Why didn’t you tell me
there were stamps in them?”
“It’s me, your brother. I like stamps.”
I smiled.
Tom liked stamps. Dad thought he was
wasting his time, so I put the stamps in the
letters.
Tom never opened them.
I took the letters. They were dirty.
I opened them. Tom stopped me.
The letters had stamps, and they were my
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secrets.
I wrote something in each letter.
“Tom, do you like Sarah more? You’re a liar.
You said you liked Laura best.”
“Tom, why aren’t you talking to me? I want to
play with you. As long as you’re happy.”
“It’s my birthday. My first birthday since I
came home. Did you get me a present?”
“It’s okay if you don’t like me. I’ll always like
you best.”
They were all my secrets.
Tom looked at the letters.
く
The last one said, “Laura will never like Tom
again.”
I held it up.
“Do you remember this? It was a week after
Sarah died.”
“You made me kneel and apologize. You
made me say I killed her.”
“You weren’t my brother anymore. I gave you
to Sarah.”
Tom was shaking. “Laura, will you ever
forgive me?”
I didn’t say anything. I put the letters on the
table.
L
I lay down and closed my eyes.
The Millers and Nick came to the hospital,
talking.
I didn’t want to talk to them.
The sun was shining. I felt good.
I looked at Maria.
“Take me outside.”
“I feel better. I have more energy.”
Maria shook her head.
I got out of bed.
L
Maria hesitated, then teared up.
I knew.
“It’s okay. They’re not here. Please.”
“The sun’s shining. Today’s a good day.”
Maria stopped me in the hospital garden. I
closed my eyes.
It felt good.
Something touched my hand.
It was Nick. He put his head on my hand.
I wanted to move. I didn’t have the strength.
く
“Laura, say something. I’ll die if you don’t.”
I shook my head.
I’d said everything.
I didn’t have anything to say.
I closed my eyes.
I saw Mom, Dad, and Tom running toward me.
They were yelling.
I didn’t want to hear them.
I looked up, wanting to feel the sun.
I felt a tear roll down my face.
I was tired.
Don’t meet me again.
Mom, Dad, Tom, and Nick.
Don’t meet me again.
