CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 31: THE NEW YEAR
The new year arrived quietly.
No big party.
No fireworks.
Just our family sitting in the living room with hot chocolate.
At midnight, Ella made everyone write down one wish for the year.
"No cheating," she warned.
We all laughed.
My father wished for more time.
Samantha wished for peace.
Ella wished for a puppy.
I wished for courage.
Then my mother unfolded her paper.
She looked at it for a long time before speaking.
"I wish..." She smiled sadly. "I wish to leave fewer regrets behind."
The room became silent.
Ella frowned.
"That's kind of a sad wish."
My mother laughed softly.
"Maybe."
Then Ella handed her another piece of paper.
"Then make a happy wish too."
"What should I wish for?"
Ella thought for a moment.
"More pancakes."
Everyone laughed.
Even my mother.
She wrote something down.
"What did you put?" I asked.
She folded the paper.
"It's a secret."
Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, I found the paper on the kitchen table.
More mornings with my family.
May you like
I stared at the words for a long time.
Then I carefully folded the note and placed it inside my grandmother's wooden box.
