“She… she did all this…”
Inside were simple printed schedules.
- Morning routines.
- Meal ideas.
- Notes reminding me to go outside.
Sticky notes were tucked between the pages.
“Eat something warm today. I’ll feel better knowing you did.”
“Don’t skip breakfast again.”
There were a few cookbooks, too, with marked pages and notes in the margins. I pressed one of them to my chest.
“My baby thought of everything…” I whispered.
Judy just squeezed my shoulder.
Inside were simple printed schedules.
***
The third box was labeled “People You’ll Need.”
Inside was a list of names.
- Neighbors.
- Lily’s friend Ava’s mom.
- Ms. Holloway and Mr. Bennett.
Each name had a note next to it.
Why they mattered and when I should reach out.
Judy let out a slow breath. “Lily clearly didn’t want you to feel alone.”
Inside was a list of names.
***
The fourth box was different.
“Memories You’ll Forget First.”
I didn’t think that was possible. But when I opened it, I realized she was right.
There were photos I’d never seen.
Lily laughing in the kitchen and sitting cross-legged on the floor, reading.
There were notes attached to some of them.
“This was the day you burned the pancakes, and we laughed for 30 minutes.”
A shaky laugh escaped me through my tears.
“I forgot about that…”
My sister smiled softly. “She didn’t.”
I didn’t think that was possible.
***
The fifth box scared me a bit: “The Hard Truth.”
I hesitated before opening it.
Inside was a journal. I flipped it open slowly. Her handwriting filled every page.
