Barbara offered a major donation.
Emily asked whether teenagers could help design public spaces.
Grace demanded a library.
“A big one,” she said.
“How big?”
“Big enough for dragons.”
“That’s not a measurement.”
“It should be.”
We named the project Bennett Commons.
Three hundred and eighty affordable homes.
A primary school.
A library.
Community gardens.
Small business spaces.
Training programs for young builders and designers.
The first building was dedicated to Michael Bennett and Thomas Hale.
The second to Rachel Morgan.
The central courtyard carried no family name.
Only a sentence carved into stone:
WHAT WE BUILD FOR OTHERS OUTLIVES WHAT WE KEEP FOR OURSELVES.
On the morning of my wedding, I stood in front of a mirror while Emily adjusted my veil.
“You nervous?”
“Yes.”
Grace appeared behind us.
“Good.”
I laughed.
“You two need new advice.”
Anna entered carrying flowers.
For a moment, I looked at the three of them.
