“I told him about the assembly,” Caleb said. “I asked if he could come. Just him. I didn’t think…”
“And I told him,” Ray said, “that his dad made forty three people promise. Not one.” He looked at me over Caleb’s head. “You know what David said to us, Jen? About a month before? He got us all in the living room. You were at the pharmacy. He could barely talk by then. And he said, ‘Don’t let them be alone. Even if she pushes. Especially if she pushes.’”
I closed my eyes.
“And we let you push,” Ray said quietly. “That’s on us. I should have kept coming. I should have kept leaving the casseroles on the porch even if you didn’t open the door. I should have kept calling. When you told me to go, I went, because I thought that’s what you needed. But I don’t think it was.”
