“That’s very generous.”
“It’s practical,” she said.
“Anger is expensive when you’re doing it alone.”
I thought about that.
“What do you need?” I asked.
“Right now.
Practically.”
She wrapped both hands around her mug.
“I’m back at work in six weeks.
My neighbor has been covering the school pickups, but she can’t do it indefinitely.
And Daniel’s been asking questions I don’t know how to answer yet.
About his dad.
About why he doesn’t have one like his friends do.”
“What have you told him?”
“That his dad was sick.
That he loved Daniel even though he never got to meet him.
That sometimes people leave before they mean to.” She paused.
“I don’t know if that’s right.
I’m making it up as I go.”
“I think that’s what everyone does.”
She smiled at that — a real smile, tired around the edges.
