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“Come with me, we’ll talk elsewhere, please,” I beg.

“I will find you at the same place, okay?” She lets it fall into my palm and adds softly, “I love you…”

“Mireya.”

One step. Her eyes never leave mine. My hands close around nothing, only the paper star remains on my palm.

132

Mireya

Past

Play - Remember Me (Lullaby) by Gael Garcia Bernal, Garbiella Flores, Libertad Garcia Fonzi

Always here

Milo is breathing softly beside me. We’re alone, and I think we’ll forever be alone. But at least we have each other.

Mom is never coming back, I know that now. And dad…Dad is still sad, so he drinks to stop being sad. But when that happens, his sadness turns into anger and his tears turn into screams.

The room is so dark I can barely see my brother. I can hear him breathe, so that’s a good sign. I sit at the edge of the bed, making sure his chest rises and falls, just how I did it before with mom and I’m still doing it with dad.

He’s so small under the blanket.

I reach over, brushing a finger on his cheek. “You’re okay, Milo,” I whisper, even though he can’t understand anything I’m saying.

His eyelashes are still wet from crying and I hate seeing him like that.

I pull the blanket higher over his shoulder, and lean back against the headboard. I might stay here tonight again.

But sleep refuses to find me like it found him. I reach for mom’s things and see the heart I made her before she left. I took it from where she hid it, and undid the heart. It quickly turns into a crooked star.

I walk back to him and slips it between his tiny hands, watching his fingers curl around it even if he’s asleep.

I lean down, kissing his forehead. “It was mom’s heart, you need to be careful with it, okay?” I ask and giggle because he can’t reply. “Milo, your big sis will always be here.”

Maybe he’ll keep it. Maybe he’ll forget about it when he grows up.

But I don’t care. I think he’ll need it someday.

“If you ever need a wish, you can use it,” I whisper again.

I close my eyes, lying beside him. I hope he’ll remember he has one if he ever wants something. It’s okay if he loses it. I’ll make him another one.

133

Damien

Play - All I want by Kodaline

Wishes

She's already sitting there when I get to the cliff. For a second, I just watch her exist in that space. The wind catches her long hair. Her hands are tucked into the sleeves of her sweater. And she's looking at the ocean the way she always did, like it brought her some peace life never offered her. And suddenly I can breathe again.

“Found you,” I say.

“I was waiting for you.” She smiles without looking at me. “Sit with me.”