---

Previously:

“Steffie is dead because everybody didn’t do enough to know that they would be someplace else when those creeps killed her. I didn’t invite her to come shopping, right? You didn’t stay here to help out,” Patty said as she held Lena at arm’s length.

“Your mom just had to go to the store to pick up food, right? Inez was so selfish she didn’t come out of her office.” Patty didn’t care how loud she had gotten. And she was joined by another voice.

“And….I could have offered to go to the car with her.” Trish said softly, covering her mouth with her hand, missing Patty’s sarcasm.

“I could have…I could have helped her but….” Patty cut her off.

“Stop it. Would you fucking stop it? Both of you. You didn’t do anything wrong, do you understand? Nobody had any chance….we didn’t fucking do anything wrong. I’m so fucking tired of this shit….” Patty couldn’t stand it any longer. She grabbed Trish and pulled her close.

“No more fucking guilt. Stop it. Please stop it….okay?” Her voice softened and she kissed the girl on the cheek.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” Her hand reached out blindly and grabbed Lena’s. The girl joined the embrace and the three wept together.

As the girls hugged, a figure stood quietly at the door from the back office. Paulie shook his head over and over as the tears fell from his chin.

“My fault.”

---

A few days later, at the Parsonage:

"Listen, Paulie. The court is satisfied that the terms of your probation are being met. Of course, after the service here is over, you'll stll have another four years of probation, but you can do that standing on your head." Susan Krakowski, Paulie's probation officer, had been very encouraged by the reports that she received from Nan.

"I know, but..." Paulie looked down at the picnic table. They were having their monthly conference outside on the parsonage patio; mostly for privacy, but also because of the beautiful, cloud-free sky and nice late summer breeze.

"You've done everything they've asked you to do under very difficult circumstances." Susan smiled and pointed to the report sitting on the table. The judge wasn't being arbitrary in the choice of setting; if you could work and live in the environment where your sister found meaning, he felt you'd find meaning and purpose as well. You understand, don't you?"

Paulie nodded, but the expression on his face said otherwise.

"You're a kid who made an awful mistake; probably enough to last a lifetime, even if it's just the first big one of your life. But that's just it. You're only fifteen. You've got your whole life ahead of you; time to make a difference with your life." She was going to skip the next part, but she knew he needed to hear what she had to say, as painful as it was going to be.

"Steffie didn't have the chance you had, and she still had a huge impact on the people she knew and cared about. How much more can you do with the rest of your life layed out before you?" It was a tall order, as they say, but one in which the judge had confidence.

"Do you feel guilty?" She asked abruptly?

Paulie nodded. He hated to cry in front of his probation officer, but lately weakness seemed to be strength for him. He looked away quickly and then back again.

"I am guilty." He bit his lip and shook his head. "I was my fault."

"Yes it was, but not entirely." Susan usually didn't cut Paulie any slack. Her stern treatment did have an underlying compassion; she wanted to see him leave the program better than when he arrived, and she was satisfied that was the case.

"You knew someone was going to get hurt." She shook her head at the waste of the four lives that the assault affected. Three no longer lived, and the sole survivor still resided in his private hell. And the families of all those who cared as well?

"But you didn't know they would take it as far as they did. I wonder if they thought about that. We'll never know. But we do know one thing for certain. Your sister died and you helped." She paused and he winced. Not innocently, but the pain of his guilt still hurt like a spear piercing his heart.

"Like the judge said, it's too late to redeem what took place, but it's not too late for you. You've got a few months left and then you're free to pursue whatever you wish in the midst of your probation. I hope you continue to make wise choices, okay?" She smiled and he nodded. She got up and walked around and patted him on the back.

"I'm proud of you, Paulie. Keep up the good work, okay?" She smiled again and walked down the driveway to her car. As she drove off Paulie shook his head once before putting it on his arms resting on the table.

"My fault." The only words he heard throughout their conversation were his own. He lifted his head up and looked around. Seeing that he was alone, he put his head down again and wept.

you were meant for
better things
than not letting go
of the pain and the sorrow
of that day

---

Later that afternoon:

Inez walked into the kitchen from the back deck and headed toward the fridge. As she put her hand on the door handle, she saw an envelope pinned to the freezer door with a magnet. She pulled it off and noticed the name, her name, on the outside. Opening it, she read:

Dear Inez. I’m sending this note to you. I figured if anyone would act on it, it would be you, since you really don’t like me. That’s okay. I can’t stay here anymore. I’ve decided to leave. I figure I’ll probably get about a mile or so away before they figure out by the monitor on my ankle that I’m not where I’m supposed to be. It’ll be a violation of my probation, so I know that will mean jail time. That’s okay. I deserve it. It’s my fault that Steffie died. The other guys aren’t around anymore, and someone has to pay for her death, so it might as well be me, right?

Tell Nan thank you for having me stay there. I am sorry to leave like this, but nobody besides her really cared about me anyway. I know you hate me. I don’t blame you. I hate me, too. Sorry things didn’t work out, but this is probably the best thing I could do for all of you. Paulie Scialpi

Inez stood staring at the note, dumbfounded. She shook her head and pulled her cellphone out and dialed.

“Hello? Police?”

---

Paulie was in the middle of Lexington, crossing to get to the other side when the loud noise of a siren sounded behind him. He walked to the curb and stood calmly as a loudspeaker blared.

“Get on the ground now and put your hands behind your head.”

The patrol car pulled to the curb. The officer got out and walked over to Paulie. Leaning over the boy, he put his knee on Paulie’s back, pulled out handcuffs and secured his hands behind him.

“Okay, son, let’s just stand up here,” the voice came from behind him. He walked slowly to the patrol car, steadied by the officer.

“Watch your head,” the officer warned, while assisting him into the car. A few moments later they were back on the road. Soon after Paulie realized the patrol car was not heading downtown toward the police station, but in the opposite direction.

“You know, kid, that was a dumbass stunt you just pulled.” The officer said, keeping his face forward.

“You’re lucky you have people that care about you, or you’d be in a shit load of trouble right now.” He finished as the car pulled up to the curb. The officer got out and walked around and opened car door. Helping Paulie out of the patrol car, he reached around and removed the handcuffs. He then walked over to the woman standing at the curb and said.

“He’s all yours, sis!” He kissed Inez Martinez on the cheek and smiled.

“Tell Mommy that Nan and the girls and I will be over Saturday for the picnic, okay, Benny?”

“Sure thing. And glad I could help.” He walked back, got into the patrol car and drove off.

“We need to talk.” Inez said as they walked into the house.

---

A short while later:

“What were you thinking, if you were thinking at all, which I highly doubt?!” Inez said angrily.

“You got my note, obviously. What’s to know? I deserve to be in jail, so this was the best way I knew how of making that happen.” Paulie said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Do you know how incredibly selfish that was? Do you know how hurt Nan would be if she found this note before I did?” She shook her head, but more out of frustration than anger.

“What difference does it make? Nobody likes me here? Well maybe Nan, but the girls and you all hate me.” He shook his head.

“This way, I’m out of everybody’s way, and you’re all one big happy family again.” He wanted to recall just how it felt to be filled with bravado. He felt sad instead, like you feel when you try hard to do something for someone and it turns out worse.

“It wouldn’t be a happy family without you, Paul.” Inez said softly. He looked into her eyes, and he saw that the icy stare that greeted him every day had been replaced with a warm gaze.

“I was wrong about you. I was wrong about a lot of things, but mostly I was wrong about your sister.” She sat down at the kitchen table and offered him some coffee.

“Your sister was important to me as a tool to use against you.” She frowned at the thought, almost as if she were more disappointed with herself that she had ever been with him.

“I was grieving my loss rather than her…the person I wanted her to be instead the real Steffie.” He looked at her without any understanding. She tilted her head in thought and continued.

“It was like I forgot who she actually was, how special she was and why I missed her. I was so angry that I lost sight of what she would have wanted for me. For you. For both of us.” She tried to smile but her tears got in the way. She grabbed a napkin from the holder in front of her and wiped her face.

“Paulie…there’s something I need to tell you. Something about your sister.”

---

Months before at the coffeehouse:

Inez sat at the desk in the office, looking over some invoices. Things were getting more expensive every day, and she wondered where they would get the next month’s rent for the coffeehouse.
She was lost in thought when a knock came at the doorway.

“Hi Inez, Is Pastor Nan around?” Steffie stood outside the door, almost as if she sought permission to enter.

“Oh, no, honey. She and Gina went to the store to pick up some refreshments for tonight, sorry.” As she picked up another invoice she noticed the disappointed look on the girl’s face.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” In the few months that Trish had been dating Steffie, Inez had grown fond of the girl, almost as if she were another member of the household.

“Oh…I don’t know, maybe.” Steffie put her hand to her chin and grew quiet. A moment later she asked,

“Do you and Pastor Nan pray together?” She immediately realized what she had asked and quickly followed with,

“Oh, gosh, of course you do. I’m so sorry. All this stuff is sorta new to me. Please forgive me.” Getting used to the differences and even moreso, the sameness of her Pastor’s relationship with Inez was completely new and was becoming the major reason why Steffie was able to begin to accept herself as well.

“That’s okay…we’re different than what you’re used to…I understand.” Inez smiled.

“I…I’m worried about my brother. Really worried.” Steffie shrugged her shoulders almost apologetically.

“What’s wrong with…Paulie…that right? What’s going on with your brother?” Inez tilted her head and leaned forward, motioning for the girl to sit down. Steffie took a seat and continued.

“He…he’s been hanging around with a couple of guys…I’m scared.” She shook her head.

“They’re some of the guys that make fun of us at school.” She half-frowned and shook her head once again.

“And you’re afraid because?” Inez put her hand on the girl’s wrist and patted it softly.

“He’s teasing us now, and it hurts, but that’s not what I’m afraid of.” Tears came to her eyes as she remembered the hurt of seeing her own brother join in the cruel taunting she had received.

“They’re like gang wannabees, you know. I’m afraid that they’re going to do something stupid and he’s gonna be right in the middle of it.”

“You know that we can’t control anyone, honey…they have to follow their own path. All we can do is be the person we’re supposed to be, right?” Inez felt sorry for the girl, but there really wasn’t anything to do at that point…at least she thought so.

“Oh, no…I know that. I just thought it would be great if he came here…you know…to the youth group? If he could see what happens here…just once? Maybe he wouldn’t be so…mean.” She put her hand over her face and began to cry.

“I know it hurts honey, believe me. Nan and I have been through more than our fair share of hurt, I think. But then I have to remind myself that there really isn’t fair or unfair…it just is what it is. What do you want me to do?” Inez felt helpless until the girl spoke again.

“Maybe we could pray just that Paulie gets a chance to come here…you know. Maybe if he comes here he’ll see how nice it is and how people care about each other?” She was almost pleading.

“If he doesn’t see how much people care with you….” Inez thought and she grew angry. The poor child was the sweetest kid she had ever met and didn’t deserve the way she was being treated.

“I mean…He knows about me sorta…you know…little brother who isn’t the kind of kid he’d want to hang around with anymore…but if you knew him, you’d see how really neat he is. He’s the best brother anyone could ever want…at least he used to be.” She wiped her nose with a tissue from the box on the desk.

“I mean, maybe if he sees things the way they are here…he could meet….me. He doesn’t know about Steffie…but if he could?” She shook her head, wishing things were different but fearing they’d never change.

“I’d give anything to see him change…to be…like he’s supposed to be.” She said. Inez nodded but thought,

“Just like you, sweetie…just like you.” She thought as she smiled again.

“Tell you what. Why don’t we pray, just like you said? Okay. We can’t do anything but we know someone what can, right?” She looked upward and laughed softly.

“Oh, yeah. We do, don’t we?” She smiled and Inez patted her hand once again.

“Let’s pray, sweetie, okay? Dear Lord, you have heard the cry of this girl’s heart. She wants to see her brother Paulie safe. She wants to see him make better choices. I think you want him to be kind and thoughtful, Lord. She has said she would give anything to see him change. We put this in your capable hands, Lord, believing for the best for Paulie. Thank you God, Amen.”

She looked at Steffie and she could see that the girl was at peace. The prayer had already accomplished that, and Inez was relieved. The girl rose from the chair and walked around the desk. Leaning over, she hugged Inez and kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you. You’re the best! “ She smiled again and headed toward the door.

“Oh Steffie, I just remembered, there are more boxes of brochures I picked up from the printer. I brought a couple of them in, but there are still a few in my car. Be a dear and get the others from the trunk?” Steffie nodded and Inez tossed her the car keys.

“I’ll be out in a couple of minutes and we can look at that poster you made. I’m sure it’s great, okay?” No sooner than she had finished speaking when the phone rang. She waved at Steffie and smiled. About ten minutes later she heard a siren growing closer. And five minutes after that her world fell apart.

---

In the present, at the Parsonage:

i wish to remember our kinship
even when you never knew my name

i want you to move on
and be all you can be

“See…I told you…my fault.” The boy’s eyes filled with tears as he lost all hope. His death was swift, complete and entirely painful, but the resurrection came as quickly.

“No…that’s not how it works. We prayed for what we thought was best, wanting to be in agreement with God. The boys were going to do what they were going to do, no matter what. You were going to do the same. God just reached down….” Inez struggled with the thought as she remembered her last look at that precious, sweet, and peaceful face.

“…And used the bad to make good. Do you understand?” Paulie shook his head no. He wanted to say the word but it got stuck as he sobbed.

“You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good…that’s what Joseph told his brothers. They couldn’t believe that the evil they had planned for their own brother turned out…not just okay, but better than ever because of how God works.” She wanted to believe this for herself…she had to believe to restore her own innocence.

“You mean he wants to fix this? I can’t believe it…Not for me. Not ever.” He was weeping and she got up from the table.

“Paul? If Steffie were here, what do you think she’d say?” She knelt down and put her hand on his shoulder. She smiled; possibly the most painful moment in her life and likely the most renewing as well.

“I forgive you, Paul.” It wasn’t just Inez saying it for his sake but for hers as well. He looked into her eyes and saw something that he had never seen before; himself, or at least the peace that he sought for himself. His eyes pled for the solid reality of her words; the truth behind the promise.

now that I’m gone away
Will you tell me please do
can you forgive yourself
since i forgave you?

“Paul…let it go. I forgive you.” No longer just the words of his dead sister; they were the words of someone who had grown to hate him but now had nothing but love in her heart for the boy. He grabbed her hand and wept more than at any time in his life. Months of recrimination; deserved or no, that had paralyzed him and rendered him incapable of giving or receiving love. They melted away like wax on a hot day, leaving behind a true image of Paul Scialpi. Condemnation was replaced by acceptance as the boy was renewed and restored by the memory of a brother he missed desparately and a sister he never knew.

And standing in the doorway, reluctantly a witness to the grace of god, Trish Martinez wept as she tried to resist the urge to join them.

“Do I have to?” she mouthed silently as her gaze turned upward. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she shook her head no. Each movement of her head grew slower until her hand rose and covered her face. Inez looked up and saw her daughter lost in a debate that she knew she’d lose.

“Honey? Trish?” She stood up and walked to her daughter. Wrapping her in her arms, Inez kissed Trish on the top of the head and wept with her.

“I….I….We…” The girl’s voice was soft, and the words came haltingly.

“It’s okay, baby…let it out.” Inez shook her head and thought of the waste of so many lives. And the pain of knowing she could do nothing to ease her daughter’s heartache.

“Mmmomm?” Trish looked into her mother’s eyes and saw a peace she’d never known before; not since her father died, not since her own struggles with who she was. And not since Steffie had been killed. Her own eyes began to reflect that peace as her mother spoke softly.

“We’re going to be okay, honey. I promise.” The two embraced once again.

“We’re going to be okay.”

do you remember the love that we shared
I want you to go on and be loving

---

Later that evening:

The seats of the sanctuary were filled with the teens of the youth group. Nan sat in the front row with Rosa Scialpi as the service was about to start. Nan got up and turned on a microphone and began to speak.

"Tonight is special and sad and joyful. We gather together to celebrate the birth and life of someone we loved…someone who touched all of us." Nan looked around at all the faces of the group. Everyone was present except for Trish. "I can’t…it hurts too much," she had said. Tears were already flowing freely even as the faces for the most part were glowing with smiles. Rosa Scialpi wiped her face with a tissue and smiled with pride.

"I've asked my daughter Lena to lead us in prayer. After that, we'll all have an opportunity to say something about Steffie. It doesn't have to be anything other than what you want to say. Many words or few will do, since it's all about how you feel, okay."

Nan smiled and looked back at Lena. Things had gotten much better between her since she went to Lena about what she had overheard. No longer excluded, Nan felt that Lena trusted her more and more. There would still be girlfriends to confide in; maybe one in particular, she thought as she looked at Patty Scialpi.

"Dear God, please let us remember Steffie with joy. Let us be thankful for her, and most especially, help us to be as loving and kind as she was, and maybe like you are. Amen." She paused and looked around for a moment, searching for a face. Her eyes widened in recognition.

"Since I'm already up here, I guess I'll go first, okay?" She looked at Nan, who nodded.

"Steffie was my best friend. I could tell her anything. It wasn't just that she would keep a secret. She treasured it. I mean, stuff I told her...she acted like it was the most important thing in the world."

"I can get through this," she thought to herself as her eyes filled with tears.

"I want to tell you something." She put her head down for a moment.

"Last year...I got pregnant." A few sighs and some "ohs" filled the room. Nan looked shocked; not at what Lena had said; it was that Lena was talking about it with her peers.

"Steffie talked with me every day...up to the moment when I was lying on a bed waiting in the clinic after I...I lost....mmmy baby." The tears were flowing freely, but Lena composed herself and continued.

"I knew she was disappointed in me...not so much me as what I had been doing to get me where I was. She warned me about Carmine, but I didn't listen. He was screwing around with another girl the whole time he was with me....and he was with her the day Steffie held my hand…the day...." She sniffled.

"Anyway...I don't know how to say this, but it's the thing I think Steffie would have wanted for me." Lena handed Nan the microphone and walked over to a girl sitting off to herself, crying. It was no secret that Gina Torricelli was the girl her boyfriend had been seeing; one of the girls whom her family had taken in. She had felt betrayed and it hurt to know it wasn't a stranger who had hurt her. She put her hand on Gina's shoulder.

"Steffie would have wanted it this way. Gina…please forgive me for hating you? I'm so sorry." She hugged the girl and she was met with an awkward pat on the back.

"For Steffie?" She said softly. The girl melted into her arms and they both wept. As they held each other Nan held up the mike.

"Someone else?" A tall boy sprang up from a chair and walked swiftly to the mike. Taking it eagerly, he began.

"Hi...my name is Andy Cardonne. I'm not a dickhead, but I used to play one on TV!" Ever the jokester, his humor was his way of deflecting the pain of real life. Maybe more than anyone, he appreciated the mercy of Steffie Scialpi

"You know how stupid stupid can be? You're so stupid you don't realize you're stupid and you keep acting stupid?" A few chuckles and nods. Most of the kids knew where Andy was going with this.

"Mr. Calabrese said that if I bullied one more kid, it was out the fu....out the door." Nan rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, there I was in the hallway making life hell for Stevie Scialpi." Steffie attended school as her boy self; she hadn't decided what or who she wanted to be at that point and felt safer as Stevie.

"Mr. Calabrese comes along...takes one look at me and says, 'That's it, Cardonne. Yer outta here...' Ya know, like an f'n umpire. Well Stevie turns to him and says, 'Oh no, Mr. C. Andy and I were just kidding around. He didn't do anything wrong. Please, he's okay, really.'" Andy shook his head and cried in public for the first time since he broke his arm while skateboarding when he was nine. After a moment he collected himself.

"After Calabrese leaves I turn to Stevie and ask him ‘What the fuck?’" He winced when he realized what he had just said. Nan looked at him and covered her face to keep from laughing.

"Anyway, you know when a kid is just saying something to keep being beat up? And when they're real, you know?" He looked around the room, as if expecting a show of hands.

"He looks at me and says, 'Now who's gonna pick on me if you get tossed outta school,’ just like that. I couldn't believe he said that, and with a fuckin' grin on his face." Nan pretended to glare at him, which caused his face to grow red.

"And then he smiles at me and says, 'I forgive you.' Yeah, I teased him in school, but it was HER life that I made a living hell. And even though HE wore boy clothes cause of school I knew it was HER who was talking." He shook his head and wiped his face with his sleeve.

"I know I got a long way to go, but I wouldn't be here with you if it weren't for her...I wouldn’t know anything about God, you know? And I wouldn’t know any of you. That's all I got to say!' Andy turned and smiled at Nan who nodded and smiled back. He handed her the mike and walked back to his chair and buried his face in his hands as the two girls next to him patted him on the back.

One by one, the kids got up and spoke about Steffie’s kindness and sweet personality. There was laughter and crying, sometimes separate and sometimes mixed together. A ginger haired girl stepped up, tears streaming down her face. Patty Scialpi had known Steffie longer than anyone in the room save for one.

“When I was about eight, we were over at my cousin’s house. My Aunt Rosa asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I said a Barbie…I don’t even remember which one. My mom says ‘We’ll see,’ you know ‘cause Daddy had just got laid off at the plant and we didn’t have much money. Well my birthday comes around and I have a party. Everybody was there…Gina…I think you were there?” The girl was still weeping with Lena.

“Anyway…I was opening presents, and Stevie came up and handed me a box. It was sort funny cause he was the only….only boy.” She smiled and wiped her face with her sleeve.

“I open the box and it’s the Barbie I asked for. Well I scream like those kids in the Funniest Video show. After everybody has gone it’s just me and Mommy and Aunt Rosa and Stevie. I don’t think I was supposed to hear, but Mommy tells Aunt Rosa,”Oh…that’s too much Rosa, you didn’t have to.” She paused and stiffled a sob.

“Sshheee…She says…nnooot mmmeee.” By now several of the girls and two of the boys were crying as well, having heard the story before.

“Ssttteeeevieeee. Heee ssaved his allowance.” She wiped her face again and continued.

“At the end of the day….they’re leaving and I teased him. “Hey Steffie, you can come play with Barbie anytime, okay?’ Well…he….looks at me and his….her face lights up like a Christmas tree, you know? S..hhhheee says, ‘Cccannn I? Rrreeally?’ I knew right then….I knnneewww…..” She couldn’t hold it in any longer. Nan rushed to her as she began to weep, holding the girl in one arm she tried to keep it together herself.

“Anybody else?” No one spoke up. She was about to turn the microphone off when a voice spoke up in the back of the room.

“Can I say something?” Paulie walked forward, There were gasps of surprise, but more so for who was standing next to him. Trish Martinez was holding his hand. It wasn’t a firm grip; there was an uneasiness in the connection that would take a long time to abate, but she had chosen to hold tight, no matter how she felt. Paulie took the microphone. Everyone stared, wondering how he could possibly dare to speak. Their loss was his fault. Their heartache was his responsibilty. And He knew that they knew.

“I never knew my sister. My brother was something special.” They gasped. How could he say that? What was he thinking? But his next words helped them understand.

“Stevie was the nicest kid you’d ever want to meet. He was like a gem, you know…like something to treasure. My mom always called him my little treasure, you know.” Rosa began to weep. Nan walked over to her with Patty at her side. They sat down on either side of her and held her tight.

“But here’s the thing. In the six months I’ve been coming here, I got to know my sister.” He paused and nervously scanned the group in front of him, hoping for some relief. Nan smiled and gestured as if to say, “Go on, it’ll be okay.”

“Pastor Nan is one of the kindest people I ever met. Stevie…Steffie used to tell me what a nice lady she was and how she wanted to be just like her.” Nan gasped and tears streamed down her cheeks.”

“Lena is one of the smartest kids I’ve ever met. I know she’s much smarter than me.” He smiled as she looked up and awkwardly smiled back.

“Steffie used to say, ‘Jeez, Paulie, you should meet this girl Lena. She’s so awesome. I wish I could be as smart as her.” Lena shook her head no, wanting to push aside the memories that accompanied the praise.

“And she said that Trish was the prettiest girl she had ever seen in her life.” Trish was still holding his hand, and she let go to cover her face as she blushed and wept.

“I think if she ever had the….the chhhaaaance.” His voice broke as he stifled a sob.

“If she ever had the chance I think she would have said she wanted to be pretty…” He turned and looked at Trish. “…just like you.”

“And I don’t see her here, but Inez?” He composed himself and continued.

“Steffie told me I should come here because….I would feel….welcome because Inez is the nicest person and would make me fff...eel at home.” His voice broke again.

“So….I got to know my sister because I got to know you…Inez…Nan…everybody. I don’t deserve anything but your hatred. I hope I can prove to you that I have earned your trust. Thank you for loving my sister.” He turned to walk and a hand reached out and grabbed his.

“I….I forgive you.”

Nothing fancy or emotional…the emotions might come later, but Trish held his hand fast and the look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. No one got up, but softly, one by one the teens echoed Trish with the same three words. I forgive you. Nan got up and hugged the boy. She leaned over and spoke a prayer that only they heard.

Inez stood in the back of the room, her hand covering her mouth. Nan noticed and waved and her expression seemed to ask if everything was alright. Inez smiled through her tears and nodded.

Everything was going to be okay.

The End - For Now

Steffie's Song

tell me, tell me

do you still miss the times that we played
will you remember to love me

now that I’m gone away
Will you tell me please do
can you forgive yourself
since i forgave you?

i wish to remember our friendship
even when you never knew my name

i want you to move on
and be all you can be

you were meant for
better things
than not letting go
of the pain and the sorrow
of that day

do you remember, please remember

do you remember the love that we shared
I want you to go on and be loving

promise you'll go on
and love everyone in my name
remember me as the one
who loved you and forgave you

the one who loved you

Coming Soon: Open Arms

Based in Part on I Timothy 1:15-19 and Genesis 50:19-21

---

Steffie's Song
Words by Andrea Lena DiMaggio
Based on The Days Between from Stepmom
Music by John Williams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMwk8875IJk