Chapter 18

Once Rafael's dad waved them goodbye and wished them a safe trip, Ruhi hopped into the car with a heavy heart. She was quiet and lost, not bothering Rafael at all.

He would have snapped at her extra hard if she did. His throat was tightened with an unwanted emotion, a feeling he had always struggled to kick down once it took over.

He remembered every single detail about the day his mom died, about how pretty she looked when he saw her that morning. It was the day he returned from a week-long stay at his grandparents' place. 

Her long, golden brown locks curled around her face as she put a tray full of his favorite mint chocolate chip cookies into the oven. He ran to wrap his arms around her feet in excitement and kissed the tiny baby bump. His dad told him on the way home he was going to get a little sister.  

"My Rafy boy has grown tall in just a week!" She struggled to pick him up and kiss him. "So tall and heavy." She swung&nbs