Willow's Dream

Twelve-year-old Willow spent years as the only child, with her parents' full attention. When a baby brother arrives, she is caught off guard by how much she changes inside. Her father, who once greeted her warmly, now seems to look for someone who is no longer quite there. Willow fears there will not be enough affection to go around, even when her parents reassure her. To protect herself, she keeps others at a distance, and the effort leaves her worn out and unsure of who she is.

Willow wants to be her better self again, but she cannot see how to get there. The way back comes from three things working together: a beloved aunt, a shift in time, and a strange meeting with an ancestor. Through these, Willow begins to understand that love does not disappear when it is shared. She learns to think of it the way a creek keeps moving, always flowing onward.