27

My body was asleep. My mind fluttered toward wakefulness. I heard their voices.

Father. Mother.

I was healing, coming back from the edge of the pit I have inhabited all of my life. I realized that there was love enough in all the world to bring me out.

Aubry Knight. Promise Cotonou. The two of you were born to love each other, that is clear. What I do not understand is how you tolerate my intrusion into your lives, how you make room for a small, unworthy creature who needed you … needs you … so desperately. Miracle of miracles, you love me still.

We are family.

I drifted back into dream. In that dream, I saw us together again, in a world large enough to ignore us, to let us live our lives and hold each other while there is still time. Death is too close, always. Only love holds back the night.

All of the powers of hell or heaven may strive to keep us apart, but they will fail. I swear it.

Mother. Father.

You cannot understand what you have done for me.

But you will.