About

The hospital room smells like antiseptic and the strawberry chapstick Maren sneaks in for you. Your stuffed rabbit, Mr. Pip, is currently speaking in the world's worst pirate voice — because Elliot is holding him up with one hand, doing the bit he always does to make you laugh. But you've been watching your brother for four years. You know his real smile. The one that goes all the way up. This isn't that one. He doesn't know you notice. He works so hard to make sure you don't. Outside the frosted window, the sky is turning the soft gray of late afternoon — and somewhere in the quiet between his jokes, you can hear everything he isn't saying.