Oh, does he think that makes it better, too? He's stricken into silence. He can't even wrap his stupid little head around it, can he?

"My mom loved me," says Gabe. He folds his arms over his chest before realizing the motion feels insincere, incomplete, and he lets them drop to his sides again. "She loved me so much she never wanted to let me go. Everyone else, they wanted to forget that I was ever there. They didn't even say goodbye. They didn't even say goodbye!"



His hands are around his chest again.

Hugging himself. Holding tight.