pte

e

Years

WAS UNBEAR

a longer review time if they were doubtfu

he raw potential in Mac's talent. He was intelligent and capable – and his terrifying appearance made him a for

They were talkin' inside a closed room, meeting

d have ha

fell off the wagon," he complaine

said. "You got

ffering me a drink, and the meeting stretched to

," I m

. "Should we say so

st say he was

ty. "Mr. D, I haven't had a relapse in

ly. "Don't worry about it, just get back on the horse. This

, very well," Felix said, offe

l smile. "Anyway, McNally said he'll send

s doing?" I

Actually, she's waiting for me at home, an

ened the door to step out. My assistant

times. She said to make su

head on the back of the couch. "I'm swamped. If

d,

es

rwarded the revised

rse, he had. The

to be a long night. It was a hot evening in Palo Alto, made even more uncomfort

re we sign it?" I asked Felix, still unable to believe

s coffee mug tilting, dripping small

fucking the ca

le and blotching the dark brown stain. I rubbed my eye

t that I hadn't been to in three long days. I wanted a clean, washed shi

rp smile appeared on the screen, and I silenced the call. I coul

p, "That'll show them we're not gonna stand for their cheap tricks.

get us with complicated legalities. They just want to draw this out for long enough so that t

et better sof

insist on seeing

face light up at me again. "Woman won't give me a break," I mumbled, picking up

fice into the hall as I answered

" I asked her. "I'm i

en

plainly and deeply depressed. I heard heavy s

he instantly burst into tears. I heard lo

are you

f her mouth. I vaguely heard the words "Amalia"

wn," I pleaded, "I can't under

's Ama

rong? Is

red wail, "She has cancer

they didn't really make sense. I let myself down onto the couc

..." I

or weeks, throwing

it was the

tor, he... He wanted to do all these tests, and

fingers, trying to quell the giant lump

con

around my knucles stretched tight. I took a dee

living and reliving the nightmare i

'm coming home, okay? I'll be there

ed sobbing anymore. I pressed my head into my

has c

ile and felt my heart constrict so

voice sounding as thou

is head through the crack. "I'm cal

form a coherent response. He took one look at my face and im

sked me in an undertone

.. We gotta g

om

anvi

hy

sensation in my eyes. I stuffed my face back into my han

hand on my shoulder and sittin

ng distinctively bleary. "Ma j

r. I cast a glance his way, and saw he was loo

he sai

ea

Amalia, and I could see how deeply he was affected by the news. He was never one fo

ell phone. He nodded mutely, looking dumbstruck. I sifted through

night or tomorrow," I

heard F

most Chr

of burning determination.

en

o

en

. I just shut my eye

ir rod before painfully bright sunlight instantly hit m

overs being yanked off of me. Why

om right above me. "Get up,

I asked

t up, wi

sit up. I gave him a dark glare.

at. She didn't

her shout from do

ng a shirt on. I rubbed my fa

I pass out?"

minutes af

laying over my bed, running

?" I as

the tree, and she really wa

nct pang of nostalgia. My bathroom looked the same as it had five years ago – Heidi Klum's tall figure still grinned at me from b

EN HE SLEEPS ALL THE WAY T

ome water on my face, looking up to glance at my reflection in the mirror. My life was a coagulation of fucked up schedules, and afte

described her tests and the results, my mother went for her practiced method of overcompensation. She had decided to decorate the house in the manner Amalia had loved when she was younger: Amalia's Winter

sleeping?" she asked me sharply

ling of waiting for the morning school bus while munching on cereal. I glanced around me with mild interest at surprising details, su

been renovat

nice for Amalia, too. I want her to have everything..." she trailed off, resting her

ing a reassuring hand on he

last night. Only now in the brightly lit confines of the kitchen could I see the dark rings circling my mo

go to sleep last

do 'cause you boys were coming home,

tta find time to sleep. Y

look. "Don't y

need to be well rested if you r

e. "You know, if you weren't right in this one instant,

said, trying to

sister decor

s,

tiny ledge, plant, and windowsill. The room looked plush, neat, and well coordinated. The curtains, the couch, and the pillows al

ed out this tree and decorated the house was beyond my understanding. Sh

she was shrinking, her simple dress punctuating her bony shoulders and hunched countenance. I felt a sharp pang of pain mixed with disbelief. She sa

Amalia suddenly said, lo

ha

at me like I'm a patient. I just wanna decor

le. "Alright, I'

onto another branch. "So tell me, ho

dded, assured that nothing was more important to

town knows I'm sick, so I've been getting loads of messag

ho

me two seconds to add up what she was saying. She knew Freda

u asshole!

oice asked fr

hole," I infor

t tongue in this hou

aid sulkily, sin

my sleeve. "Fre

at her.

ea

wardly. "Who'

Drake." She gave m

around this fact. Freda had had a baby with that

er as hell. They've been fighting custody bat

fe. Why did I care about some girl's life? Especia

his head buried in his phone. H

wh

go shopping with Felix," Amalia

called. I rolle

onna driv

asked me,

that I hooked up with Freda, maybe?" I

e car keys, striding out of the house into the

ANVILLE had reall

d building with a few shops targeting only rich people, into a giant, respected establishment where literally hundreds o

t a low

Felix said

tume, small," I said, feeling ridiculo

elix responded, eng

ave g

ude. You gotta keep up. Shoppin

y, grabbing one of the plastic b

ist. It's food related so you can't

w to buy f

who bought thirty

d me to

ree dozen eg

ey go bad or

not s

lled his eyes, walking away toward the decorations a

lf, picking items one by one off the list. Ma really was going all out, and within a few minutes, my sho

mal sugar? I just began to consider asking an employee for help to guide me through this maz

heard a famil

it in over five years. Understanding slowly dawned on me, thou

lf with a sheepish expression. Her dark hair – the exact same shade I remembered – was

al blue, piercing eyes

nto a nearby pole, glancing around to check if an