Sam hadn't been able to sleep since seeing his mom. He'd been completely transfixed by her. Before, she'd been no more than a notion - an ethereal being. But now? Now, she was a real person; strong and capable … and loving. She was everything he'd ever thought and wanted her to be.

His mom.

He tried to curl his lanky body into a ball, not even trying to hold back the tears as an aching new feeling of profound loss welled up in him.

"Mom was pretty cool huh Sammy?"

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat. "Yeah, she was."