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.”

is allowed to be sick there. Only happy.”

Claire’s smile held.

Mine did not.

A month later, she called.

The trip was approved.

We did not tell Mike until the tickets arrived because hope had become something Stella and I handled carefully. We had seen plans disappear after one bad scan.

When we finally showed him, he read the destination twice.