stayed with me. As she departed, she asked to read the rest eventually.

“Can I read the rest when you’re finished?”

“Of course.”

“And Mom?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t need you to have every answer. I never did.”

I hugged her.

“That’s fortunate, because I’m running short.” 

Later, I resumed reading. After Maisie’s college departure and a phone call about ruined laundry, a different chapter title appeared: Aurora’s First Bicycle.

The scene belonged to real life. Aurora was seven when I decided she could ride without training wheels. Arthur disagreed, but