When he finally awoke, all that Jose Luis could think about was a desperate future without hope. He despised it and longed for a new day; a day when all of the hurt and pain was a distant memory, replaced by joyous feelings of being loved and loving those who were a real family to him. He pictured a real mother: a kind woman who acted similarly to how his Aunt Belén treated him with loving kindness and forgiveness. He pictured siblings who encouraged him to be the best that he could be despite his quirkiness, who were supportive of his life and concerned about his feelings. He envisioned a body free of illnesses or frailty. Although he longed for these things, he knew that they would not be his, that they would be beyond his grasp, inescapable longings that only brought hidden tears to his
