I drove home with a list of suggestions and the uncomfortable recognition that adults aren’t the only people who hide their fears.

Sadie had been protecting us, too, by making sure she always seemed cheerful when Callum felt exhausted.

That evening, we set up a small question box in the living room, using an empty cereal carton she covered in stars.

She could write down worries whenever speaking them felt hard.

We promised to answer them without getting angry, even if the answer was simply that we didn’t know yet.

The first slip of paper asked, Can I still invite Daddy to field day if he can’t run?