“I’m right here,” I said.

“Why did you fly back from Ireland so fast that night?” Benji asked.

He kept his hand resting on the rough green stalk of the sunflower.

I rubbed my right thumb over my knuckles and looked straight down into his clear eyes.

“Because I heard something wrong on the phone,” I said.

“And I love you too much to stay away when you need me.”

Benji patted the damp dirt around the stalk with his palm.