Kimmie told Dustin how her mom watched Sixteen Candles while on Ambien and her imitation of her mom made Dustin laugh for the first time since he had found out he no longer had a big brother. He felt guilty for a split second, enjoying himself and having a good time when Nicholas was dead, never able to laugh again, but then he remembered his brother’s advice from his letter: life was about love, and if a hard-ass, rap-lovin’ guy like his brother could get all mushy about love, then he should definitely give it another chance himself.

And the only girl who made such a thing possible was standing before him. When she looked at him there was something in her eyes he couldn’t quite read. She paused for a second then took a deep breath. “I need to tell you something.”

“What is it?” he said, staring at Kimmie, her face a montage of guilt or shame or he didn’t know what. “It’s okay, you can tell me anything.”

He could see her gathering the courage. She hesitated then spoke: “When I was in Arizona…”

That was all she had to say before he knew exactly what it was. He had been grappling with the idea of bringing it up to her himself, but had decided against it, at least for now. “I already know what you’re going to say.”

“You do?” she asked, both hopeful and frightened.

Dustin reached into his back pocket and pulled out the letter Nicholas had written him and unfolded it. “There was one more P.S. on the letter that I didn’t read at the funeral,” he said and recited his brother’s final words aloud: “‘P.S. I met your girl Kimmie out here. What a fuckin’ small world, eh? She didn’t know I was your brother and I didn’t tell her. I don’t know why, but I didn’t. She’s a real sweetheart, a little lost, but hell, aren’t we all? Natalia said that she talked about a boy, the one that got away … and of course I thought it was the pretty-boy who stole her from you, but it wasn’t him. It was you. She said you were the smartest boy she ever met, and when Natalia asked her why she didn’t get with you she said it was because she wasn’t ready yet. Dude! You should go for it. Listen to me, I know what I’m talking about, because I’m your brother, which means some of your smarts must’ve rubbed off on me, too…’” He paused and stared at her, both their eyes glistening with tears. “But you didn’t know it was him, did you?”

Kimmie nodded. “I did, but only at the end. Do you hate me? Please don’t hate me…”

“Why would I hate you?”