Chapter 39: Chapter 38

"Don't let go of good times, and let the bad ones know you feel fine, and wear your heart out on your sleeve. Love is all you need."

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The one week break from responsibility provides us with the bonding time I never thought I'd get - soft clinking of cutlery against porcelain dishes during dinner, soft chatter on the sofa, just the three of us. I learn a lot about Sylvia. I learn more about Mom than I have learned in all the years I have known her. The house slowly turns into a lived-in home, the only witness to our family moments. I find my cheeks sore from smiling, my throat dry from all the meaningless chatter, my eyes dry from mourning, yet brighter from better sleep.