I looked toward the living room.
Lily was singing the princess song.
The one Nora had made up.
And suddenly, I understood something.
I could spend the rest of my life mourning everything my family had taken from me.
Or I could use the time I had left to give my daughter something better.
I squeezed Grandma’s hand.
“We still have time.”
The following spring, Lily turned seven.
She wanted a birthday party in our backyard.
She didn’t ask for a princess castle or an expensive venue.
She wanted balloons, chocolate cupcakes, and a magician who could make a rabbit appear.
Grandma arrived carrying a small gift bag.
Inside was a children’s book about famous inventors.
On the first page, she had written:
To Lily, who already knows that the greatest things in life are made with love.
Lily hugged her.
Then she ran upstairs.
A few minutes later, she returned wearing her navy-blue dress.
