Only I, standing so close, could hear him.
I bit my lip. “I’m sorry.”
Alex turned, looking startled for a moment.
Then, for the first time, he reached out and
touched my head.
“Not you.
Her.”
I woke up to twilight.
A twilight without rain, the sunset vibrant and
beautiful.
I sat on the floor, watching the darkness
swallow the last of the light through the
floor–to–ceiling windows.
The room gradually dimmed.
Alex came home later than usual.
It was fully dark when the door opened.
صصصصصص
་་་
Г
Footsteps approached, then stopped.
Three feet away.
He didn’t touch me, just said, “The floor is
cold. Don’t sit there.”
I blinked back tears, turning to ask, “Why
don’t you hug me?”
In an instant, I was in his arms.
“I thought… you didn’t want to see me.”
I reached up, hugging him back.
I buried my face in his chest, my voice
muffled.
Г
“Have you visited Mom and Dad?”
“Yes.”
We always did, every year.
Every year, Alex told them he was taking care
of me.
I leaned against him, hearing three
heartbeats.
Thump–thump–thump.
His, mine, and the baby’s.
I whispered, “Alex, can we visit Mom and Dad
tomorrow?”
く
He cupped my face and kissed me.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing
him back, there in front of the window.
The city lights twinkled outside.
The hairdryer roared to life, and he
murmured, “Uh–huh.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks.
I couldn’t stop crying.
Alex wiped my tears, but they kept coming.
I explained, “The light… it’s too bright. It’s
making me cry.”
اصلی محصول
“After being in the dark for co
He nodded. “After being in the dark for so
long, light can make you cry.
وو
Mom loved hyacinths.
Dad didn’t care for flowers.
But he received a bouquet of hyacinths, just
like Mom.
In the photographs, they smiled at us.
Alex told them, “Mom, Dad, I’ll take care of
Sarah. And our baby.”
I smelled the hyacinths.
Their scent, strong and sweet, drifted on the
wind.
A lasting tribute.
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