Beyond Vica by T. C. Booth Page A

about…your dad, I felt so close to you. I thought about kissing you then, but it wasn’t the right time.”
    I now know what the saying “butterflies in your stomach” means. I think a swarm of them must be fluttering through mine right now. I gaze into Brody’s face, and this time I lean in to kiss him.
    When we break, I tug him off of the swing. “I want to show you something.” He follows me into my bedroom. I pull the paper from behind the picture of us on the wall and plop onto my bed. I fold my legs under me. The bed dips when he sits beside me. I unfold the paper and hand it to him.
    He studies it, reading the words and date written under the two flowers. He glances up at me. “Cool. You have your dad’s fingerprints on a flower.”
    I nod. “I used to take that picture with me to kindergarten every day after the accident. I would get it out and trace my fingers over his fingerprints. I pretended I was touching his fingers.”
    â€œOh, wow. I’m sorry you had to go through that.” He rubs my arm.
    I shake my head. “That’s not why I’m telling you this. This picture is how I met Sam.”
    He tilts his head and looks down at me. I continue, “I used to sit by myself on the playground and trace my dad’s fingerprints. Sam came over and asked me what I was doing, and I told him that I missed my dad. Sam said that it was okay, I’d see him after school. I told him that my dad was gone, in Heaven.”
    Brody scoots closer, puts his arm around me, and pulls me next to him so that we both look at the picture now resting on his lap.
    â€œHe asked where Heaven was. I told him that it was someplace in the sky. He said we could pretend we were astronauts and go look for my dad. He told me that was what he was going to be when he grew up, so he could look at the stars.” Tears fall down my face again. I can’t believe it. For years I haven’t cried more than a tear or two, and for the second time today they fall freely down my face. Brody wipes them with his thumb.
    â€œWe ran to the jungle gym and climbed up the slide. We pretended we were taking off on a rocket ship.” My eyes meet Brody’s. I smile as I recall what happened next. “Then, a cute little boy with dark hair and gray eyes asked us if he could play.”
    His face lights up. “I remember that. We used to pretend the jungle gym was our space station.” I nod and rest my forehead against his.
    ****
    I walk outside with Brody when his mom comes to pick him up. It’s dark now, so the stars sparkle like diamonds. We both look up and find Vica without speaking. We don’t need to. We both know the other is thinking about Sam. Brody’s mom waves at me from the end of my drive as she walks around the Jeep to get into the passenger seat.
    â€œMom’s good about letting me drive. Dad stresses too much,” Brody says.
    â€œGood luck tomorrow. Text me after your driving test. I’ll be at my first group meeting at hospice when you’re taking your test.” I roll my eyes.
    â€œGood luck to you, too. It’ll be okay, Gabs.” He rubs his hand over his hair and glances at his mom. “Well, I’ll see ya later.” He squeezes my hand before jogging down the drive.
    â€œSee ya,” I call after him and watch him pull away in his black Jeep.
    After I’ve changed into my PJs, I fold the picture that holds so many memories and tuck it under my pillow. The developments of the day run like a slideshow through my mind. Sam looked so sick and weak. I can feel deep inside me that he’s slipping away. It hurts so bad. At the same time, my relationship with my other friend has taken on a whole new level. I’ve shared things with Brody that I’ve never told anyone. I can’t even get started on how he kisses. My face burns at the memory of it.
    I’m a little nervous about tomorrow. It’s hard