Wintergirls

At the wake, Lia joins the line of people extending out the front door of the church waiting to see the body. Lia remembers how she and her classmates have been to wakes before: a student in fifth grade died of Leukemia, another in eighth grade died in a car accident, and the year before another student died in a car accident. As Lia approaches the coffin, she thinks, “It’s called a wake, but nobody really wants the dead to rise” (85). Once she reaches the coffin, Lia looks inside and sees that many items have been placed inside surrounding Cassie’s body, such as a soccer ball and a t-shirt from the school play. Lia adds a piece of sea glass she stole from Cassie’s room when they were nine, because, as Lia thinks, “I could never make it work, no matter how the stars lined up” (87).

Lia imagines Cassie sitting up and swallowing the sea glass. A moment later, Lia imagines Cassie disappearing from the coffin. Following the line of people, Lia moves past the casket and toward Cassie’s parents. Cassie’s mother hugs Lia and Cassie’s father kisses Lia on the forehead. Lia feels the hand of someone behind her touching her and sees that it is