Our family was flying on a Make-A-Wish trip for my sick son — halfway through the flight, the pilot said, “Mike, there’s one thing about this trip that you and your parents know nothing about.”

protective sheet.

The paper was creased. The airplane had one large wing and three floating windows.

Mike’s original boarding pass.

The one he had made for Nolan.

A nurse had saved it after Nolan completed treatment and went home.

Beneath it were the words:

Hope sometimes arrives before the plane does.

Mike stared at the drawing for a long time.

His fingers continue reading …