ow, the cheap paper crinkling in my trembling hand. It said the dependent spot

hispered, the words

oked up from his worn-out dinosau

e was all smooth reassurances, his

said, his arm around my shoulder, a gesture that

usband died a hero, a Gold Star widow, Sarah. She needs help, and listing Kyl

I pleaded, my voice small. "I can't a

porary. And I have a solution for Danny. He can come live with me near my duty

his career, for "helping a hero's family." I was a tru

small backpack filled with his favorite snacks and that

etie?" I said, my voice thick with

his lower lip tremble

you more

last time I s

ut from a cold-voiced state trooper. An incident

er that, not with com

m," he seethed, his face a mask of fury, "if you

or good, that I needed to "move on."

red piece of that blue rocket ship t-shirt, snagg

silence and the shred of blue fabric. He went

piled on me, the unbearable emptiness where D

ked like a pe

ne after another, p

kness t