“He wanted me to have it,” I said.

Arthur closed his yellow toolbox and snapped the black plastic latches shut.

He picked up the heavy box by the handle and walked slowly toward the front hallway.

“I’ll bring the remaining trust account statements by the house on Monday morning,” Arthur said.

“Thank you for the help, Arthur.”

I stood completely alone in the large empty living room and listened to his car engine start in the driveway.

The deep silence inside the house felt entirely different without Brenda there to fill it.