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"I wish I was out here again, a little boy , holding my mother's hand," he continued. 'listening to her read me fairy tales, playing games like deciding what this cloud looks like or that. Pretending instead of analyzing, imagining instead of thinking. You gave me some of that back. Rose."

"Whatever I gave you was only half of what you gave me."

"That figures. I'm your half-brother," he said. joking.

"You're my whole brother. You'll always be," I said with firmness. I kissed him. "You want to come out front to say good-bye for now? Mommy will be here any moment to get me," I said.

He shook his head.

"No. Just walk off. Rose. I'll stay here a while. I've got things to say to the birds, the trees, the clouds. I just want to feel the sun on my face."

I smiled, pressed his hand one more time, and walked away. I looked back once.

He was sitting upright, looking out at the trees in the distance and holding his head as if his mother was with him, pressing hers to his, and beginning a wonderful new fairy tale.

I could almost hear her voice. "Once upon a time..."