We‘re in the shuttle. "I thought I hadmade a huge mistake and you were lost," he says.
Just a moment ago I thought I could spend an eternity in mymind‘s library. And I thought that‘d be heaven. But I‘d take thisone moment with Javier over that.
"I think I nearly was lost," I say. "But it wasn‘t yourfault." - P271
"If this small part of my journey is to give everyone else achance, then that is what will make our parents and ancestors proud." - P273
The glow of Sagan‘s purple-and-blue shimmering atmo-sphere falls over Javier. He‘s cradling his Dreamers book in onehand now, and the shuttle‘s control in the other. I watch himhelplessly as we continue to spin. The lump filling my throatgrows larger and larger until he‘s out of view. - P274
It‘s too late for my little brother, but maybe I can give Voxythe childhood Javier never got to have.
"If I stay with you...?" Voxy‘s timid voice trails off.
I grit my teeth, and a tear falls inside my visor. "If you staywith us, you‘d be Voxy," I answer. "Just Voxy. A boy who gets tohave his own cuento."
His jaw settles in a stubborn clench. "Then I choose to beVoxy. Voxy who gets to have his own cuento." - P282
I smile ahead at the little runaway who‘s lived his life iso-lated on a ship, without ever running or playing, who maybeonly laughed when no one was watching, whose favorite colorwas probably clear. - P292
|