The Last Night

19

Matt came back two years later. He visited the orphanage I was staying in and I told him what happened.
And then he cried.
He cried.
Matt never cried.
I stared Matt in the eyes and said, "Matt, I love you."
I never had the courage to say that.
I never thought I could.
But now I realize I have it.
I always had it in me.
Always.
And then he said something I never thought Matt would say. "Me too."
And then we hugged.
For four minutes we hugged.
Four wonderful minutes.
And I smiled.
For the first time since the fire, I smiled.
And then when Matt let go of me, he pulled something out of his jacket  and said, "Here."
He handed me a diary. One almost identical to the one I bought for him.
"I thought you could use it," he said.
And then he left. I began to write:
On the first night of Hanukkah, my little sister, Peyton, came into my room.
This isn't the end of my story. This is only the beginning.