All his friend and loved ones were there. The party was a surprise. He had appeared to be genuinely happy. He was genuinely older.

She stood there for the longest time. She had trouble making herself believe what she had seen was real. However, as she closed and opened her eyes several times, the truth of it persisted. The cool air conditioning inside the mall helped to steady her as she found an empty bench near the fountain. Right there in the parking lot! In broad daylight! She reached in her purse for a handkerchief.

He sat at the table holding the baby. She seemed only slightly younger than the black girl that flashed into his meager consciousness with each blink. Black, all bright teeth and big eyes looking up at them in confusion. He could still see the bows in three pigtails. The left one red, the middle one blue, the right one green. He couldn’t imagine how colors could be so bright.