“Yes, sweetheart.”
“Where has he been?”
I hesitated.
“Sometimes grown-ups make mistakes that are very hard to fix.”
She looked thoughtful.
“Is he nice?”
I considered the question.
“He’s very sad right now.”
“Because he’s sick?”
“Partly.”
“Did he lose somebody too?”
I swallowed.
“Yes. He did.”
When we arrived at the hospital, Meredith and Nathan were waiting outside room 412.
They both knelt to greet Ellie.
Meredith had tears in her eyes.
“Hello, Ellie. I’m your Aunt Meredith.”
Ellie looked surprised.
“I have an aunt?”
“You do.”
Nathan smiled.
“And I’m your Uncle Nathan.”
Ellie turned to me, her eyes wide.
“Grandma! I have an uncle too?”
I nodded.
“Yes, darling.”
She looked back at them.
For the first time since we’d arrived, she smiled.
Inside the room, Richard was sitting up against several pillows.
He looked nervous.
When Ellie stepped through the doorway, he went perfectly still.
