Olivia looked at her mom in disbelief, then a real smile, her first in a month, broke through. She walked over and gave her a tight hug.
The next day, Chris walked out of his gleaming downtown office building and saw her. Olivia was standing on the crowded plaza, looking at him, smiling. In her hand, she held a bright bunch of colorful balloons, a beacon of color in the gray cityscape.
He walked over to her, a look of cautious wonder on his face.
- Fly with me? — Olivia smiled and opened her hand.
The balloons joyfully shot upwards, racing each other into the vast, open sky.
Chris watched them go, then let out a loud, happy laugh. He swept her up into his arms and spun her around, right there in the middle of the city.
- Let’s fly!
