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A flicker in the corner of his eye stopped him mid-step.
“Leo, a shooting star!” he called out. Excitement charged his voice. But Leo was already there, stargazing, his eyes locked on to the streak of light above.
They were always lucky. Spotting things in their peripheral vision, which led them to pause, and catch moments just like this one.
The night hung thick with heat, the air still. They were making their way home, the road lined with towering palms, olive trees and bursts of vibrant pink flowers. Bats darted overhead. The dim murmur of dinner parties drifted throughout the quiet Turkish village.
“Shall we tell Mum? Let her know” the father asked.
“Yeah, do it,” his son replied. So he sent the message. A flicker of worry crossed the boy’s mind — what if she didn’t see the star?
Across the bay, in the bustling port town, the mother stood with a friend amidst the noise of late-night cafés, restaurants, and music from the gentle swaying boats in the harbour. The shooting star traced the sky above it all.
A moment later, two blue ticks appeared on families group WhatsApp. Father and son stood quietly in the night.
“She’s seen it,” Dad said, reading her reply.
And though they were apart, all three wished upon the shooting star.
