She threw in three pennies and as she turned back to me
she said that none of her wishes had come true.
Hearing the news of her grandfather’s accidental, early, unforeseen death a few months ago, she began making wishes.
Each night the first star heard her whispers.
She still has moments of sadness and tears. Things remind her of him all the time.
It’s her first real experience with death and she’s still processing it.
She wants closure. She wants to go to his oceanside home. She wants to put something nice on his grave, like “cookies or flowers.”
I, too, needed closure which I did not get, have not gotten.
Over Christmas, my husband built photo ledges above our entry table to display family memories. Though most document 2010, a special one is displayed just for Q.
As she came down our stairs, she took in the photos, one-by-one. Suddenly her eyes lit up, a delighted gasp escaped her mouth, her hands came to her face.
“It’s Papa Gio! Thank you, mommy.”