Ruth reached up and touched Grandma’s face.
“You gave him a good life,” she said. “That’s all I ever wanted. A good life with somebody who loved him. You did that, Evelyn. You did everything I couldn’t do.”
Then she looked at me.
“It’s yours now, Daniel,” she said, touching the paper. “This is where you come from. All of it. The good and the bad and the stupid. Don’t ever let anybody hide it from you again.”
I nodded. I couldn’t speak.
That’s when I noticed Catherine.
She was standing in the corner of the room by the sink. She’d been there the whole time. I’d almost forgotten about her. She had her arms crossed tight over her chest, and she was staring at the floor.
“Catherine,” Ruth said softly. “Come here, baby.”
Catherine didn’t move.
“Please,” Ruth said.
