I looked at him. My wild one. My hardest one. My son in a uniform, trying.
“Yes,” I said. “I’ll be there.”
One by one, they nodded.
I looked at him. My wild one. My hardest one. My son in a uniform, trying.
“Yes,” I said. “I’ll be there.”
One by one, they nodded.
His shoulders sagged and he smiled.
I looked down the table at all six of them. “Listen.”
They quieted.
“No more disappearing,” I told them. “Not on birthdays. Not on random Tuesdays. Not when it’s convenient.”
One by one, they nodded.
Grant covered my hand with his.
“Deal,” Mark said.
“Deal,” Sarah said.
“Deal,” Eliza whispered.
“Deal,” Caleb said.
Jason chimed in, serious. “Deal.”
Grant covered my hand with his. “Deal,” he said softly. “And I’ll prove it.”
But for one night, finally, I wasn’t alone.