I helped Sophie into her yellow raincoat and handed her the pink travel bag.

We walked down the carpeted stairs together and opened the heavy glass front door onto the misty street.

Grant was standing under the yellow streetlamp with a black umbrella, his dark raincoat over his suit.

On the wet pavement beside him sat the three dark canvas suitcases I’d packed at the house on Monday.

“Say goodbye to your mother, Sophie,” Grant said, taking her little hand in his.

Sophie hugged my waist hard before she turned and walked with Grant toward his Buick at the curb.