Bowls of fire sit on the tables. Closer now, I scan the huddled group for white locs and a stocky frame. I spot the back of a man with a round face, holding on to a knobby stick.

“Excuse me,” I say, squeezing between the edge of the huddle for a glimpse of his face.

Deep brown eyes I don’t recognize greet me. “Hello, how are you, dear?” It’s not Bati.

“H-hi. Sorry.”

His lips split in a smile. “No, no, it’s okay.” He turns to face me fully, his braided beard grazing the floor. Blue stripes paint his cheeks.

“I am so pleased to see you are okay, child.” The stranger cups my hands. His eyes glisten and he gasps at the sight of my gilded arms.

“Thank you. I-I’m so glad you’re okay too.” I dig a toe into the ground.

He dips his head, backing away. I bite down, hard, and notice the scab in my palm I’ve been picking at is actually bleeding. I tug Bri along. Heads turn as we pass. I tuck my head between my shoulders, wishing I had my hoodie.

I plop at a table and Bri sits beside me. Many around us sit absorbed in their conversations, not even the slightest bit interested in me. But some side-eye me with a look that sends cold pricks down my spine. Is he really not here? Could Bati be… gone? Guilt shudders through me.

“Your mind is working a million miles a minute,” Bri says, pointing to my hand, which I hadn’t realized is pulling loose threads at the bottom of my shirt.

“Excuse me, Jelani?” A familiar little face shrouded in colorful beads speaks. Titube. She’s a little taller than the last time I saw her, but still only elbow high on me. I look for her mother, the kind woman who’d made the delicious grub last time I saw her. But she’s nowhere to be found. Titube stares up at me.

“My flower girl, Titube!” A smile tugs at my lips that I can’t fight off. Parched for some warmth, some joy, I squat and take in Titube’s smile, those perfect cheeks, the joy that dances in her eyes. It warms the parts of me frozen with worry.

Bri settles at a table, lost in her bag of gadgets, and I squat, pulling her into me for a hug, hoping she can feel my love, my care. Somehow, we will put this broken world back together. And it will be better, for her. For everyone. I squeeze her hand. “You’re literal sunshine, you know that?”