The one for Amelia

it was like to be alone, ev

f stuck in the quiet limbo between the li

heir complex conversations and responsibilities, see

rm, and her father, Job, was steady and reliable-but there was a sens

occupied, a constant companion in a world that

become accustomed to over the years, but it was

to have someone to confide in, someone who u

hough kind and loyal, di

ory or the intimate bonds that came with being

ia had grown used to the solitary exist

ounded by the muted hum of her phone and t

omeone on the phone about bills or work, while Mr. Job would retre

drifting through the corners of their house. She wasn't neglec

tion-one that was less about being physically alone

named Clara and a boy named Sam, who had

and tried their best to keep Ameli

r. Clara was the talkative one, always sharing the la

ntrospective, and shared Amelia's love of r

a kind of trio, but Amelia knew it

er who adored her, and Sam had an older sister who seemed

, the inside jokes they shared, the way their family dynamics worked. Ame

iends' lives seemed richer in comparison, and while Amelia never admitted it,

nger, the absence of

when her cousins would swarm around, playing games, laughing, an

ketchbook, reading books she borrowed from the library, or wri

ng different about her. While the other kids had brothers o

didn't understand the ful

to notice the small signs of isolat

, always organizing something or ma

lp with homework or suggesting that they do something toge

anted to burden her with her feelings. She would nod and smile, pretending e

r hand, was a ma

sent, but often l

g financial statements, working late into t

er, but she had never

offer. He was there for practical things-teaching her how to balance a checkbook, giving her advice on her sch

lara and Sam were her lifeline, b

acted by family matters, and Sam, though her closest confidant, h

sibling-someone who would protect you, someone who would liste

derstand Sam in ways that Amelia cou

e couldn't imagine life without her brother, and how they would tea

and, had no such sibli

her books, and her phone screen, the only place

ctivities, but it was hard to ignore the fa

idn't enjoy spending ti

outgoing, and always ready to talk about b

delved into deep, philosophical discussions that left Amelia feeling like she was at home with her thoughts.

t, could never replace t

en up to her friends about her feelings of i

hat she had nothing to worry about, but Amelia couldn't

hum of the house, she would wonder what it would be like to have a sibling-to have someone who was alw

and to grow with. Instead, Amelia had learned to fill the silenc

showed interest in her accomplishments, whether it was a g

le and a soft hug, but it was always a little bittersweet. There was no

proud of her, or to tease her about her ac

ol, the weight of her solit

ed strong, but she could sense the widenin

mories, and Amelia would nod, pretending to relate, but always feeling the sh

he way t

in the way a sibling could know you. She had parents who loved her, friends who care

de jokes, the childhood secrets, the support when things got tough. But th

ghter and chatter, she knew she would never stop longing for th

t deep down, she still felt the weight of that absence, the knowledge t