Chapter 43

By the time I returned to my bedroom, it was already past nine. Exhaustion tugged at me, but I couldn't sleep—not yet. There were moments too precious to risk forgetting. Flipping on the light, I connected my tablet and began sketching—each stroke capturing the memories Lily and I had made together. Her laughter as we baked cookies. The way she'd clung to my hand during her first school play. The quiet afternoons when she'd simply leaned against me, content just to be close. As I drew, I recalled the time Lily had insisted on making breakfast for me. She'd scrambled eggs, more shells than egg, and proudly presented them with a grin. "Best breakfast ever," I'd told her, choking down each bite with a smile. She'd giggled, "Next time, I'll make pancakes!" Hours slipped by unnoticed until my eyes burned and my fingers ached. But when I finally sat back to examine the finished illustrations, something warm unfurled in my chest. My fingertips traced the digital lines of Lily's smiling face.