for me when I went

looking rumpled and tired, but h

cemetery," he said. "I thought I' d

r me, but his eye

tracks, to maintain the fac

as suffocat

Sophia sat in the back, the space bet

ore my father' s headstone,

had always loved me uncond

d a hand on

d softly. "David will take good care

e comforting, but they we

omised he

rward, putting h

t like

," he said, his voice a low murmur. "

n' t

cold and clear, counting dow

, he insisted w

alking about old college professors and shared memori

, a chauffeur f

s from the hostess and, without a seco

her, remembering her favorites,

llfish allergy, the one that coul

he said, pointing to an item on

e, a flicker of co

ling alright? You l

d answer, dis

ble, stumbled and a tray of s

motion arc of brown liqu

ond, David' s ins

ch for me, his

ing Sophia out of her chair and

ross my arm and chest, the

tumbling back

idn't even

Sophia, his face

get burned?" he asked

ffee, my skin screaming in agon

sister-in-law, with a desperate

per her name, a

rned hotter than the coffee on my sk

his gaze final

concern in his ey

d' s sake, be

to Sophia, scooping

, carrying her towards the exit as if

d Sophia protest, "Dav

s snarl, not meant for my e

u' re the only o

ide with shock and horror, met mine ju