The Wish From Heaven | ✓

chapter 40 : nothing can happen

"There was no one else he wanted to see more than you, and so you were the only one he couldn't see."

Ah. I see, now. This punishment thing July was talking about. He loved the water, but now, water can't touch his skin. 'God's cruel sense of humor' - as he called it.

"That wasn't the only thing," Aster continues. "You know how he was insomniac, right?" I nod. "Well, he became . . . narcoleptic when he was with me. He would suddenly fall asleep in the middle of a conversation and wake up five hours later. Two or three times a day. That's why I didn't get to spend a lot of time with him."

I snort. "The irony."

"Irony, indeed. Then he couldn't listen to music. Like, he just couldn't hear any kind of music at all. But don't feel bad about that! After a while, I discovered that he can listen to any music that I play. You see, Ethan and I bonded over music. Before he passed away, he gave me his guitar. I stopped playing entirely after he died. But for Dawn, I started playing again!"

I can't help but smile. "That is so nice. Did you sing him his favorite songs?"

"Apocalypse, right?" He grins. "Of course I did. It's become one of my favorites too. I even sang it to Dale-dale the other day."

I slowly nod.

"Now, before you get sad, just know that it all turned out okay in the end. Because he fulfilled the wish a few days before the deadline. And when he did, he suddenly became normal. As in, be could come close to you and see you. He could also hear music. It was like a reward for a successful mission."

My eyes widen. "He really came to see me?"

"He spent a whole night with you. But unfortunately, you couldn't see him."

"Oh . . ."

He exhales. "You know, little Cedar? The reason why I said it was all predetermined and planned—I think, you, me, Dale and Dawn- the four of us, and this . . . supernatural thread that tied us together- at the end of the day, I think it was so all of us can be happy."

I didn't think of it like that. But the more I think about it, the more I see the purpose behind it all. Dawn was sent to Aster, so the latter can move on from his grief. After all those years of numbness, my older brother fell in love, and was lucky enough to be loved back. It changed him for the better, and made him warm up to me. Then Dawn went to heaven, the garden of eternal bliss, as they say. Then Dawn sent July to me, so I can find what I love and chase it.

And if I can do that, July will find his happiness too, hopefully. An escape from this hellish world.

After a series of unfortunate events, things might have finally started to work out for all of us.

I look at my lap. "Did Dawn ever talk about me?" I ask, after a moment's silence.

"Oh yes! He talked a loooooot about you! I basically know everything about you. You love cherries, you have a mole between your shoulder blades, you like pepsi, your only hobby is reading books, your favorite book is by some Asian writer - ack, forgot his name - and you were in love with this fictional character named Midori-"

"Please don't." I shake my head. He laughs.

"Dawn cared a lot about you, Cedar. So for him, try your best, okay? It will be a big challenge for you to be more honest to yourself, but I know you can do it."

I nod, feeling a new surge of determination. Then I say, "It will also be a big challenge to convince my parents about your relationship."

"Yeah . . . " He pouts. "My parents have no problem with me being gay but your mother . . . that would be tough." He thinks of something, then says, "You know, about Dale- if you think that he never cared about you, you're wrong. He aaaalways did. That day, he told me- that the only reason he couldn't even look at you, was because of how much you reminded him of himself. He said it was like watching a biographical movie based on him. It hurt him. But he also admitted that he might have been a bit jealous of you. Because you had Dawn, but he had no one at all."