" Sarah said, her voice trembling. "I told

ave rushed to comfort her, to believe every word. Now, I just

g. I just walked pas

?" she asked, follow

to see it, to feel her presence one las

d the d

heart s

as e

tales and picture books, was vacant. Her little desk, where she would sit and draw for hour

Lily had ne

?" My voice was

. "I had it cleared out. I couldn't stand th

ied today, Sarah! You didn't even go to her funera

n fake grief turning into real anger. "You

was a profanity co

voice dangerously quiet. "Whe

to know what my daughter

ou. It was peaceful. She just went to sle

I pressed, stepping clos

laced with impatience. "She was ready to go.

she and Sarah left for Switzerland. Lily had been holding

said, her smile wide and full of hope. "When I come back

e wanted to live. She want

ye and promised her a better li

onger. I walked out of the empty room and went to the ga

ng?" Sarah demand

s room. Not thrown away, just packed up, ready fo

aid, her voice flat. "Holding on to

x labeled "Lily's Treasures." It

are you goin

hing that was left of my daughter into the trunk of my car. Her drawings, h

sed the trunk and got

of annoyance on her face. "This is ri

rst time, I felt nothing. No love, n

uming apartment building. It was the first place I'd lived when I moved to the ci

ere sometimes on weekends, eat pizza on the floor, and watch cartoon

The apartment was small, a little dusty, but it fe

the walls. Pictures of our family, of sunshine, of her teddy bear. I put her favo

egan to fill with love. It began to

packed and in its place. I sat on the sofa, surro

, the exhaustion took over. I knew I couldn't stay here for

ief and rage. I had to figure out what to do next. H

o the drivew

ht in front of the main door, was a pair of me

my s

ly who they

was, sitting in my living room, drink

a

on her face. Then, it morphed into

back. I'd like you to meet Mark Johnson. He came to

acity of it s