Chapter 13: Letters to the Sky
On the anniversary of the mudslide, Vivienne and Leo walked to the edge of the wooden pier extending into Lake Geneva.
The evening was calm, the water reflecting the pink and lavender hues of twilight.
Leo held a small wooden box containing letters he had written to his biological mother over the past year. Inside were descriptions of his school, his paintings, his dog Barnaby, and the adventures he had shared with Vivienne.
""Do you think she can read them from up there?"" Leo asked, looking up at the first evening star appearing over the Alps.
""She doesn't need to read the words, Leo,"" Vivienne said gently, holding his other hand. ""She feels every beat of your heart. When you laugh, she hears music. When you paint, she sees the sky.""
Leo took the letters from the box. Together, they tied the paper notes to the string of a large, biodegradable paper lantern shaped like a white lotus flower.
With a flick of a lighter, Vivienne ignited the small wax burner inside the lantern.
The paper swelled with warm air, glowing like a miniature sun in the twilight.
Leo held the base with Vivienne, their hands joined beneath the paper rim.
""One... two... three,"" they whispered together.
May you like
They released their grip. The lantern lifted smoothly from their hands, rising into the calm mountain air, carrying its cargo of love, gratitude, and remembrance higher and higher until it blended seamlessly with the constellations above.
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