He smiled faintly.
“Red was her favorite color.”
He bought the dress.
Ellie wore it constantly.
To church.
To the grocery store.
To family dinners.
She once wore it over pajamas because Walter had tried to hide it in the laundry.
Caleb laughed.
Walter did too.
Then his smile faded.
“One afternoon, my company held a large picnic. Families were invited. I was hoping for a promotion. I was worried about what my coworkers would think.”
He looked down.
“I asked Carol to leave Ellie with her grandmother.”
Jenna went still.
Walter continued.
“My wife asked me why.”
He swallowed.
“I lied. Said Ellie would be bored.”
But Carol knew.
Walter’s voice cracked.
“She told me, ‘You are asking your daughter to disappear so other people will be comfortable.’”
Nobody at our table spoke.
“She took Ellie to the picnic anyway.”
Walter smiled.
“And Ellie wore that red dress.”
