Ethan looked up.
“You don’t have to fix them.”
Her voice shook.
“You don’t have to say they’re brave all the time either.”
A few adults shifted.
“You can just be their friend.”
She looked directly at Ethan.
“He learned that eventually.”
Everyone laughed softly.
Ethan wiped his eyes.
Then Lily smiled.
“And I learned I don’t have to protect everybody from being scared about me.”
David cried openly in the
want everyone to know something.”
The auditorium quieted.
“When somebody is sick, you don’t have to become a hero.”
Ethan looked up.
“You don’t have to fix them.”
Her voice shook.
“You don’t have to say they’re brave all the time either.”
A few adults shifted.
“You can just be their friend.”
She looked directly at Ethan.
“He learned that eventually.”
Everyone laughed softly.
Ethan wiped his eyes.
Then Lily smiled.
