That night I wrote in my notebook: He was here for breakfast.

I underlined it twice.

PART 18

Recovery did not proceed in a straight line.

One morning Callum woke with increased weakness and pain.

We contacted his care team and went in for an evaluation.

The hours in the waiting room felt like a return to the beginning, except this time neither of us pretended it wasn’t frightening.

He admitted he had imagined the worst during the drive.