Dewie has always been different. It’s hard for me to take him places.

Once, we were in the library when his eyes caught on a movie about Thanksgiving.
I heard him give a little shout of “Thanksgiving!” that made a few people turn to look at us.
“I love Thanksgiving! I’m thankful for… for… for my friends at school!”

“You’re thankful for your friends at school?” came a male voice to my left. I turned to see him smiling down at my brother with a strange sadness in his eyes.
“Yeah! And… and… what are you thankful for? Are you thankful for your friends too?”
He didn’t say anything, just fiddled with the broom in his hand.
“Are you thankful for me?” Dewie asked, eyes widening.
“I’m thankful for you, kid. I’m more thankful for you than all my friends in the world.”

Dewie smiled for the first time in a while before taking two steps and giving the man a big hug. My breath caught in my throat as I looked at my autistic brother touch a complete stranger and saw him happy for the first time in a long time.