“It’s not the same.”

“Yeah.” Willa sighs. “I know.”

Taylor turns to Willa and wraps her arms around her. She’s still crying and Willa gently pats her back. It has been years since they’ve shown each other any kind of real emotion, any true affection, and she doesn’t know how to make Taylor—or herself—feel better. Finley should be here. It’s not fair that she’s gone.

“Do you want to skip the rest of the tours?” Willa says. “We could go back to St. Catharines or maybe take a walk.”

“No.” Taylor scrubs her eyes with the heels of her hands, sniffling. “We should stay and see all the things Finley would want us to see.”

They ride the Maid of the Mist boat to get up close to the falls, watch a film about the history of Niagara, eat lunch at the top of Horseshoe Falls, and stand in a tunnel behind the falls, watching the water rush past in a solid wall of white. None of it compares to the Hurricane Deck, but Willa can imagine Finley geeking out over everything. She’d want to keep the ineffectual ponchos and buy something in one of the gift shops.

Taylor has withdrawn since her breakdown on the Cave of the Winds tour, more focused on taking pictures than talking, and Willa gives her wide latitude. When they reach the Journey Behind the Falls gift shop, Taylor excuses herself to the ladies’ room. Willa is revolving the rack of key chains, looking for her name, when she notices the snow globe display.

The big glass domes come with fancy white snow and high prices, but Willa finds a plastic novelty shaker that has the Niagara Falls inside, along with a tour boat and a rainbow that stretches from one side to the other. Willa pays for the globe and thrusts the shopping bag at Taylor when she comes out of the bathroom.

“Here. I bought you a present.”

The bag rustles as Taylor reaches in and pulls out the snow globe. She laughs and gives it a shake, setting off a snowstorm of silver glitter. “This is so cheesy.”

“I know, right?”

“Thanks,” Taylor says. “For, um—you know.”

Willa nods. “Sure.”

They just look at each other for a couple of beats, and Willa is unable to pinpoint why it’s so hard to talk to Taylor, why it’s so hard for them to be friends. Finley picked them both. Why can’t they pick each other?

“Do you want to stay to see the fireworks?” Taylor asks.

“Um . . . yeah. Except the last bus leaves right after the fireworks start.”

“We could spend the night.” Taylor pulls her phone from her pocket. “I’ll pay for it.”

Spending the night in a hotel in Niagara Falls can’t be cheap, but Taylor seems really determined. “Are you sure?” Willa asks.

Taylor nods. “Definitely.”