That next Christmas was a simple one. A modest artificial tree, hot chocolate, crooked homemade cookies. Casey opened a storage box and lifted out the old glittery ornament.

The words still shone. Mom’s back.

“This one goes on first,” she announced.

She placed it near the very top of the branches.

“It should be where everyone can see it.”

Corinne understood that her daughter wasn’t only talking about a decoration.