“Mr. Whitley, are you making a swing?”


    “I am! Once we move into the new house, I’ll put one in your room, and I’ll build a bigger one for the yard–you and Jade can sit on it together. What do you think?”


    “Dad, where should I put this piece of wood?”


    “Hey, hey, put that down! Will you please look at the ns I drew for <i>you</i>? Don’t just wing it and end up with a wobbly mess. If you make a shoddy swing and Lessie falls off, I won’t let you off the hook!”


    “Lessie, don’t bother with those two. Come over and have some fruit–Mr. Whitley just finished slicing it for us.” In the little gazebo, Jade waved at Alessia with a bright smile.


    “Coming!”


    Theughter and cheerfulmotion of yesterday still echoed in the garden, as vivid as a scene ying on a screen. But now…


    Alessia clenched her jaw, gazing up at the night sky. It had rained all day, yet somehow the moon hung high and full, and even the stars seemed brighter than


    usual.


    “Have Justin and the others left?”


    Cole’s voice came softly from beside her.


    “Yeah, they went home.” Alessia tore her bread roll in half and handed a piece to


    Cole.


    “Here, eat something. You haven’t had a bite all day.”


    Their voices barely rose above a whisper, yet it felt as if speaking took all the strength they had left.


    Cole had no appetite, but he epted the bread anyway, chewing mechanically. Alessia, too, forced herself <i>to </i>eat–a small roll, gone in a few bites between them.


    In the endless silence, they sat together, shoulders touching, each the other’s only support.


    Cole nced up at the sky. “Lessie, do you think Mom and Dad are still watching


    over us?<b>” </b>


    “I miss them so much… Maybe they’re disappointed in me. Maybe that’s why they


    <b>12:35 </b>


    won’t visit me in my dreams.” His voice trembled, and he struggled to keep his emotions in check.


    Alessia looked up at the same sky, her hand intertwined with his.


    “When we finally have a long, peaceful dream,” she murmured, her voice gentle and steady–like a mother reading a bedtime story-“I know your parents wille


    back to see us.”


    Their heads rested together, hands sped tightly without even realizing it.


    The next morning, Alessia woke early while Cole was still asleep. She <i>tidied </i><i>up</i>, dabbed some concealer on her face to hide the dark circles, and checked herself in the mirror before heading out.


    Standing at the door, she realized her keys were in her backpack, which she’d left inside the house.


    She raised her hand to knock, but before she could, the door swung open–Karen


    was just on her way out to do some grocery shopping.


    “Lessie?!” Karen’s eyes widened in shock. “You look so thin! Have you been eating at all?”


    She dropped her basket and gently cupped Alessia’s face, worry etched into every


    line.


    Alessia had always been slender, with a delicate face, but the stress of the past week–and barely eating–had left her even thinner, her cheeks sunken and her whole expression drawn.


    “Where’s Dad?”


    “He’s already gone <i>to </i>the shop. I was just about to pick up some groceries. What would you like for lunch? I’ll make you anything you want.”


    “No, Mom, it’s okay. I just came to pick up some clothes. I’ll grab what I need and go. I won’t being back for a while, so please, take care of yourselves.”


    “I understand.” Karen didn’t question any of Alessia’s choices–Zachary had exined how much Cole and his parents meant to Alessia. That only made her worry more for the two kids.


    “We’ll be fine, sweetheart. You two need to take care of yourselves, too. Even if it hurts, you have to eat something. Are you in a hurry? Did you have breakfast? Let me at least pack you something to take with you…”