Katie’s death wasn’t supposed to happen. Not at her age and with a toddler at home and a husband who loved her. It was one of those tragedies, even if you didn’t know her or her family, that would always cut deep because it was that unexpected and unfair, despite Katie’s heart condition. Her loss highlighted how fragile life was.
Lee looked different in those photos. It was something you’d see only if you knew him well enough—or had studied him so closely even when you tried not to. His eyes were dimmer now, his smiles, even for his daughter, were muted compared to then.
My heart broke for all of them every time I thought of Katie, but I couldn’t avoid the photo since it was the first thing I saw whenever I came into the living room.
“I’m so full,” Bennie said, rubbing her belly as she fell back in her chair. “That was the best.”
“That’s what every cook loves to hear. Think you can help me clear the table before Daddy calls?”
“Yeah. Today is only practice, so he doesn’t have to win today. He said Arizona is really hot.”
“It is,” I said while stacking the plates. “One summer, I had to go to a meeting there, and it was 110 degrees.”
Her brows flew to her hairline.
“That’s a lot of degrees. Did you burn up?”
I laughed at her dropped jaw.
“No. I was mostly inside in air conditioning,” I said, a different kind of pang twisting my gut as Bennie handed me the forks.
I’d been everywhere, yet had seen nothing. When the baseball season was over, I’d work to change that.
I was about to turn on the water when my phone buzzed across the counter.
“It’s Daddy,” I said, accepting the call and handing Bennie the phone.
“Daddy! Stella told me that Arizona has hundreds of degrees. Did you burn up?”
I heard the rumble of Lee’s laugh as Bennie leaned on the counter next to me.
“School was good. I did all my homework when I came home, and guess what? Stella made homemade macaroni and cheese. Not out of the blue box Aunt Deb uses, and it’s so much better! Don’t tell her, though, because she’ll be sad. It was like gormey. Gourmet. Yeah, that’s what I said. Nate didn’t burn up, did he? If it’s too hot, would his shoulder hurt? That’s good. I love you too. Okay. Here’s Stella.”
Bennie shoved the phone at me.
“Daddy wants to talk to you. Can I play my game now that there isn’t anything else on the table?”
“You sure can. Go,” I said, chuckling as she scampered away.
“Hey, how’s it going?” I said when I put the phone to my ear.
“Well, it was nice that my daughter asked if I burned up before she thought of Nate. And gourmet mac and cheese? Between that and the fancy braids, you’re a goddamn show-off.”
“Sorry if I wanted to bring my A game this week. All the guys okay?”
“Seem to be. I’m done for today. I have a management dinner later tonight, but the guys should be fine for tomorrow. Seriously, you’re killing it.”
“It’s my first day, so let’s not get carried away. I’m just happy we got to school on time and she likes my cooking. That’s as fancy as I get, though. I have hot dogs on the menu for tomorrow, so that may be a letdown.”
“And Bennie hasn’t given you any trouble?”
“Not yet, but this will be my first time putting her to bed, and she’s already asked for two stories instead of one.”
“Stalling already. I told you.”
“And she keeps asking if I need her to stay home and help.” I padded into the living room, my eyes falling on that photo of the three of them again. “Can I ask you a maybe uncomfortable question?”
“Of course you can.”
