Her father kneels and unclasps the urn. Above the waves she falls graceful as snow, my sister, my Sonora.

His presence suddenly made things feel off-kilter, gorgeous as if being crushed in lush velvet while cascading off the edge of a cliff.

I thought he had come to save my life.

My brain came alight with tenderness for her. I felt so sorry for everything. I yearned to embrace her, kiss her even, to stay with her, always her, my sister, my friend to the end. It was a story after all, even if a sick one. It was completely ours.

We both knew no bounds to our escapism.

I knew beauty for me would only ever be derived from loss.