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I reached for the backpack, but she stepped back.
I swallowed hard. “What’s your name?”
“Sarah.”
She glanced behind her, as if someone might stop her.
“I didn’t steal it,” she said.
“I was guarding it.”
I opened the door wider. “Then let’s see what Randy left inside.”
“Tell me,” I said.
She shook her head. “Open it.”
Inside were knitting needles, lavender and white yarn, a paper pattern, and something lumpy wrapped in tissue.
I pulled it out carefully.
It was supposed to be a unicorn. One leg was unfinished, the body leaned to one side, and the small white tail stuck out crookedly.
“Why a unicorn? He loved dinosaurs.”
Sarah wiped her nose with her sleeve. “He said you liked them.”
I pressed the unfinished toy to my chest.
Months earlier, I had mentioned it once while drinking from an ugly unicorn mug with a chipped handle.
“He remembered that?” I whispered.
Sarah nodded. “I think he remembered everything.”
Under the yarn, I found a card.
Mom, it’s not done yet.
Don’t laugh. Sarah says the horn is the hardest part. Ms. Bell said there wasn’t enough time before Mother’s Day.
I love you more than cereal breakfast.
Love, Randy.
A sound escaped me before I could stop it.
Sarah started crying too.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, wiping her face again. “There’s more.”
Part 2
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