The folded paper felt warm in Peter’s hand, a small weight against the chill of the hospital room. It wasn’t a get-well card, or a bouquet of flowers. It was Heather. Always Heather, offering something unexpected, something… *her*.
“Hey Peter,” the note began, scrawled in her familiar, looping script. “I’m so, so sorry about your mother. I know this won’t fix anything, but I made you another mixtape anyway. I added in some of the Quill family favorites as well. I hope you enjoy it, and remember: Keep smiling, keep shining.”
He unfolded the list, a curated collection handwritten on the back of a worn postcard. It wasn’t the music itself, though he knew Heather’s taste ran deep. It was the gesture. The quiet insistence that even in the face of grief, there was still beauty to be found.
1) That's What Friends Are For • Dionne Warwick 2) Hooked On A Feeling • Blue Swede 3) Karma Chameleon • Culture Club 4) Africa • Toto 5) Time After Time • Cyndi Lauper 6) Wish You Were Here • Pink Floyd 7) Don't You • Simple Minds 8) True Colours • Cyndi Lauper
He traced the titles with his finger, a small, involuntary smile tugging at his lips. *Africa*. His mother had loved that song, used to sing along at the top of her lungs during their summer road trips. *True Colours*. Heather knew his mother’s favorite color was lavender. It was an impossible level of attention.
It wasn't just a mixtape. It was a lifeline. A quiet, insistent whisper that even in the darkest moments, there was still light to be found, and someone to share it with. He slipped the paper into his pocket, a small, comforting weight against his heart. He would listen to it tonight, and he would remember. He would smile, and he would shine. For his mother. And for Heather.