"She's here for the comic convention. I actually made a whole book of paper-cut illustrations for her. I wonder if she'll like it?"

Jessica's throat tightened.

She watched as Timothy and Henry stepped into the elevator together.

She was the one who had taught Henry how to make those paper-cut illustrations.

Most kids loved cartoons, and since she couldn't speak, she'd worried Henry might get bored when she watched him. After each show, she'd sit with him and do crafts, cutting out his favorite cartoon characters, making up little stories, and pasting them into a scrapbook.

Henry used to praise her for how pretty her paper-cuts looked, and in time, he'd learned to do it alongside her.

They'd created so many of those illustrated scrapbooks together.

Henry once promised that when he could finish a whole book by himself, the very first one would be for his mom.

Jessica never expected that day would come so soon-that Henry could already make a whole scrapbook on his own.

Her face pale, Jessica stepped wordlessly into the elevator.

Back in her room, a dull ache burned in her stomach, and fatigue pressed down like a heavy blanket.

She poured herself a glass of water, took some medicine, and lay down to rest. Her sleep was restless, haunted by shadows. In the end, a nightmare jolted her awake.

dreamed of that fire from seven years

grabbed her phone. It was already seven thirty

was an old town

a lake, each night at eight, crowds would gather along

Riverside City-where fireworks burst over the water every

fireworks show. The Silverthread Eatery was less than thirty minutes from

the man she loved. If Timothy wouldn't go, she felt there

the wish was shelved

with her days numbered, she

face, threw on a coat,

the lakeside, crowds drifted along the

walked hand-in-hand, whispering, some stealing

through the throng, offering roses to every pair they

rose in the country came

own love story had never involved roses. In truth, it

her gaze

show was about

boom, the first

scattering color across the rippling

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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