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The roo he doesn’t notice If he does, he doesn’t say anything

"What is it?" Sophie asks, bea up at Pace

"Coco said you like macaroni and cheese and pink Starbursts" He treats her to one of his crooked grins, using my childhood nickname that has stuck

"Starbursts?" Her eyes whip over to mine

Her reaction is unexpected "Is that okay, sweetness?"

Pace lowers the tray to her lap There’s a bowl ofprepared by lass candy dish filled with pink wrapped candies He es and removed only the pinks Nice touch

Tears well in Sophie’s eyes and she looks froain "How did you know?" she asks, a single tear leaking from the corner of her eye She brushes it aith the back of her hand

I shrug "I just did" I don’t want to e anddrunkenly about the candy

"She really is still here, huh?" Sophie says to no one in particular as she unwraps one of the candies, and places it in hera little sigh of happiness

Pace and I exchange a look and briefly wonder if she’s totally lost it, but then Sophie encourages us to sit on the bed with her while she eats, and she relays the story about the candy she and her sister always shared and Becca’s last words to her in her letter

My chest tightens as I understand the depth ofbehind this and the incredible bond these two shared, as well as the sacrifices Sophie irl is incredible in so many ways

After a few bites of the macaroni, Sophie thanks Pace and tells us that she’s sleepy Pace takes the dishes away and after turning off the lights, I curl around her on the bed, clutching her tightly against me and hold her until her breaths turn slow and even and she falls asleep

Chapter Fifteen

Sophie

Becca has been screa in my usual fashion, I swear I can feel her I can practically hear her She’s telling s And I hate her for it