—Alec— My fist curled tight on my thigh as my convoy tore through DC streets. The thought of losing Mama Emelda left a bitter taste in my mouth. I kept checking the time again and again, as if staring at it could somehow hold the world still until I reached her. Sweat pricked the back of my neck despite the AC blasting through the vents—anxiety had its own thermostat. “Faster!” I barked. The car sped forward, but to me, it crawled like molasses. Helpless, I searched for something to anchor me through the storm. My thoughts shifted to Mabel, and for a moment, relief washed over me. Memories of last night replayed in my mind— Her little stubbornness when I asked her to sit on my lap. The emotion in her eyes as I draped the necklace around her neck. And above all, the passion we shar

