I Fell in Love with Hope - Lancali

embrace and stifles a cry into her fur. When she gives a little mewl of
protest at his clinginess, his cry turns into a laugh.
“You were all so happy that day on the roof, dancing together,” Eric
whispers. He smiles against his hand at the thought. “You have no
idea how comforting it was getting your phone calls, catching you
sneaking out, stealing, being stupid, and just… being kids.”
I remember the night we all fell asleep under blankets like little
yellow hills on the rooftop. Eric must’ve come to tell us to come back
inside, but when he saw us in the midst of music and frost, he let us
just be.
I used to have an estranged concept of love. I think I tried to give it a
face the way I give faces to all things I don’t understand. But from
the look on Eric’s face as he remembers Sony dancing, I know for
certain that it cannot be stolen.
“Your purpose isn’t saving suffering strangers, Sam.” Eric wipes his
eyes. He hugs me and pats my hair, and smiles the way you smile at
an old friend. “I hope you know it’s so much more than that.”
Eric doesn’t say anything else. He picks up the chart and pen,
putting them neatly back into place. He straightens his ID card and
pats down his wrinkled scrubs. As he turns to get back to work, a
group of toddlers runs into his legs.
The little gowned creatures huddle around him like herding dogs.
One of them holds up a picture book, the rest jumping up and down,
shrieking and giggling.
“Hey! Slow down! What did I say about running!? Sebastian, stop
picking at your mask. Caitlin, Nora, didn’t we already read you this
book last week?
You didn’t steal it did you? Hey! Sawyer quit kissing Hazel. You’re
going to eat her cheek if you keep at it! C’mon, I’m not reading