Kenneth confessed he had once read the ending of a novel because he was afraid Hannah wouldn’t live long enough to finish it.

She’d caught him and spent an entire afternoon pretending he was on trial for literary misconduct.

Chloe laughed so loudly that Clara glanced at the neighboring table to see whether anyone had been disturbed.

“That’s what she sounded like,” I said before I could stop myself.

Chloe’s smile faded gently.

“I miss her laugh too.”

We let the sadness sit with us.

I was becoming less frightened of those pauses.