“Yeah.”

“What was she sick with?”

“Cancer. Leukemia.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. She was such a strong person. I thought for sure she would make it. She had this spirit that made you believe things like that. It just seemed unrealistic to imagine that there was something she couldn’t overcome…even cancer.

“That’s what I always loved about her. She was so fiesty. She could light up a room just by walking into it, even though she’d probably trip on her way in. She was always so clumsy…but she was with me. If she fell, I was there to catch her. And then she would look up into my eyes and smile at me. She’d say something cute like, ‘Oh my, lucky me to fall into the arms of such a gorgeous man,’ and I’d laugh at her and kiss her nose.

“She always liked it when I did that. When I kissed her cheek or her forehead or her nose, or when I kissed all over her face just because she was cute and it seemed like a good idea. She said it made her feel “adored” and I’d tell her that she was silly because obviously, I adored her."