Something squeezed into my chest, but I couldn’t tell why.
June took the microphone.
“Our father couldn’t be here today,” he said.
My stomach fell down the floor of that auditorium.
Daniel.
Something squeezed into my chest, but I couldn’t tell why.
They were going to talk about Daniel.
Twenty-two years of birthday cards he never sent, phone calls he never made, and now, the only day he had really introduced me to, they were going to honor the man who didn’t.
I felt the pain rising in my throat as if I had been waiting. I told myself to stay still, smiled and had this if they needed it.
Ava got into the sleeve of her robe and pulled out a piece of folded paper. Claire squeezed her hand over her mouth, and I saw her shoulders tremble.
I felt the pain in my throat.
