A thousand Boy Kisses

Just let me give her this final wish.
I had to.
It was my final thank-you for all the love she’d given me.
It was the only gift I could give.

---

Poppy
Two weeks later
I sat in my chair, in my mama’s bathroom, as my mama coated my lashes with
mascara. I watched her like I’d never watched her before. She smiled. I watched,
making sure I had etched every part of her face in my memory.
The truth was, I was fading. I knew it. I think deep down we all knew it. Every
morning that I woke, Rune curled by my side, I felt just a little more tired, just a
little weaker.
But in my heart, I felt strong. I could hear the call from home getting stronger. I
could feel the peace of its calling flow through me, minute by minute.
And I was almost ready.
As I watched my family over the past few days, I knew they would be fine. My
sisters were happy and strong, and my parents loved them fiercely, so I knew

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they would be okay.
And Rune. My Rune, the person I found it hardest to leave … he had grown.
He had not yet realized that he was no longer the moody, broken boy who had
returned from Norway.
He was vibrant.
He smiled.
He was taking pictures again.
But better still, he loved me openly. The boy who’d returned hid behind a wall
of darkness. Not anymore; his heart was open. And because of that, he had let in
light to his soul.
He would be okay.
Mama went to the closet. When she returned to the bathroom, she was holding
out a beautiful white dress. Reaching out, I ran my hand down the material. “It’s
beautiful,” I said and smiled up at her.
“Let’s get it on you, shall we?”
I blinked, confused. “Why, Mama? What’s happening?”
Mama batted her hand in dismissal. “Enough with the questions, baby girl.”
She helped me dress, slipping white shoes onto my feet.
The sound of the bedroom door opening made me look around. When I did, my
aunt DeeDee stood in the doorway, her hand upon her chest.
“Poppy,” she said, tears filling her eyes. “You look beautiful.”
DeeDee glanced over to my mama and held out her hand. My mama held her
sister, and they stood there, looking at me. Smiling at the look on their faces, I
asked, “Can I see?”
My mama pushed my chair in front of the mirror, and I stilled at the sight of
my reflection. The dress looked so pretty, prettier than I could have imagined.
And my hair … my hair was pulled to the side in a low bun, my favorite white
bow pinned in place above it.
As always, my infinity earrings stood out, loud and proud.
I ran my hands down the dress. “I don’t understand … it looks like I’m dressed

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for prom—”
My eyes darted to my mama and DeeDee in the mirror. My heart lost control of
its beat. “Mama?” I asked. “Am I? But it’s not for two weeks! How—”
My question was cut short by the ringing of the doorbell. Mama and DeeDee
looked at one another, and Mama ordered, “DeeDee, you go answer the door.”
DeeDee went to move, but Mama held out her hand and stopped her with a
hand on her arm. “No, wait, you take the chair, I have to carry Poppy down the
stairs.”
Mama lifted me onto her bed. DeeDee left the room, and I heard my daddy’s
voice downstairs, muffled with others. Thoughts were scrambling through my
head, but I dared not get my hopes up. Yet I wanted so badly for those hopes to
come true.
“You ready, baby?” my mama asked.
“Yes,” I replied breathlessly.
I hung on to my mama as we walked down the stairs and made for the front
door. As we rounded the corner, my daddy and my sisters, who were all gathered
in the hall, all looked my way.
Then, although I felt weak, my mama brought me to the door. There, leaning
against the doorway, was Rune. He had a spray of cherry blossoms in his hand
… and he was wearing a tux.
My heart splintered with light.