A quiet murmur moved through the crowd.
Somewhere behind us, one student began applauding.
Another person joined.
Within seconds, the entire gym erupted in cheers.
Students stood and clapped while Hazel cried in the center of the dance floor.
But she barely seemed to hear them.
She stepped toward Eli and wrapped her arms around him.
For a moment, he froze in surprise.
Then he hugged her back.
That night, Hazel danced.
She did not move cautiously.
She did not search the crowd for people who might be laughing.
She danced until her carefully arranged hair came loose and the oversized flowers on her skirt swayed around her legs.
For the first time since Mason’s funeral, I heard my daughter laugh without immediately stopping herself.
After prom ended, Hazel, Eli, and I returned home together.
We entered Mason’s room shortly after midnight.
Almost nothing had changed.
His faded blue sweatshirt still hung behind the door.
A photograph of Mason and Hazel stood on the dresser.
In it, he had one arm wrapped around her shoulders while she pretended to push him away.
Eli knelt near the closet.
He located the loose floorboard almost immediately.
Beneath it rested a small wooden box.
Hazel lowered herself beside him and inserted the silver key.
The lock clicked open.
Inside were several sealed envelopes, a flash drive, and a dark velvet pouch.
Hazel opened the pouch first.
It contained the small diamond pendant that had belonged to my mother.
Mason inherited it after she died, but he had always insisted that it should have belonged to Hazel.
The envelopes were labeled for different moments in her future.
“For the day you graduate.”
“For when somebody breaks your heart.”
“For when you forget how strong you are.”
“For your wedding day.”
Hazel covered her face with both hands.
At the bottom of the wooden box was one final folded note.
She opened it and began reading aloud.
“Hazelnut,
“Grief will try to convince you that loving me means remaining sad forever.
“Do not believe it.
“Laugh loudly.
“Wear beautiful things.
“Eat when you are hungry.
“Sleep when you are exhausted.
“Ask for help when the world becomes too heavy.
“And please do not spend your life attempting to disappear simply because I had to leave.
“You are still here.
“So live enough for both of us.”
Hazel sat on the floor and cried until she had no tears remaining.
I wrapped my arms around her.
Eli sat nearby with his back resting against Mason’s bed.
The three of us remained there until the first morning light entered through the curtains.
