In the photo, my sister’s smile was warm, her eyes clear, forever frozen at twenty-five.
If she were still alive, she’d definitely be at the airport picking me up today, just like when we were young, messing up my hair with a laugh.
“Little one, why are you frowning?”
No… If she were still alive, she would never have allowed me to be bullied to the point that I had to flee far away.
I crouched down and gently traced my fingers over my sister’s eyebrows and eyes on the tombstone.
“Selene, I have some good news to tell you…”
Before I could finish, Vivienne came back, holding a heavy bag and placing it in front of me.
“I once promised you that I’d make you a gift by hand every year on your birthday. I couldn’t find you these past years, so I saved them all up.”
A razor, the newest game console, an expensive watch… I could tell she really put effort into it.
But I felt nothing.
Her hand froze in mid-air and a hint of embarrassment and disappointment appeared on her face.
“You don’t like them? I can ask someone to prepare new ones. How about we have lunch together?”
“No, I still have something to do.”
She was about to continue pestering me, but her phone rang.