Mom arrived with flowers from my shop, which she had paid for without asking for a discount.

Vanessa brought Lily and Owen and carefully avoided rearranging anyone’s plans.

Our family was not miraculously healed.

There were still awkward silences and old instincts.

Mom sometimes started to give an instruction and caught herself.

Vanessa sometimes made a joke that landed too sharply, then apologized.

Dad kept his word more often, and when he couldn’t, he told me the truth instead of inventing an excuse.

When dinner was over, Frank asked if I’d help him carry chairs back into the garage.