Texting your estranged brother during the World Cup when...

Conversation

1. Pause the World Cup live right now.
2. Why? big play?
3. Pan to the stands, top right corner.
4. You're freaking me out, what's wrong?
5. That's you holding Mom's framed photo.
6. There's a woman beside him, who is she?
7. Screenshot sent to the chat, zoom in.
8. See my initials etched into the frame.
9. That is definitely your handwriting, not hers.
10. I can explain before you jump.
11. Explain why you're at a public match with it.
12. I took it last night, after the wake.
13. You took it where? you left without us.
14. He DM'd me a boomerang holding it, honestly.
15. Why would he DM Maya instead of family?
16. Because I didn't want an argument in our texts.
17. You didn't want an argument, you took her thing.
18. Also there's tape on the back of the frame.
19. I can see a folded paper taped on.
20. What paper? open it right now, Maya.
21. It's a hospital bracelet and a small note.
22. A note to me? what's written on it?
23. It says your name and 'for when you're ready.'
24. Why would Mom write that and hide it here?
25. There's lipstick on the envelope and a date.
26. The date is two weeks before Mom's death.
27. She didn't want you to see it yet.
28. Don't post anything from my family, please stop.
29. Someone already uploaded a clip to Instagram stories.
30. I thought keeping it safe meant preventing questions.