He added notes, removed one, and wrote it again.

When I asked what he had crossed out, he told me it sounded angrier than he meant.

“What did you want it to say?”

“That Dad was there.”

I understood the difference.

There had been days Daniel complained about the groceries and still knew which cereal to buy.

There had been nights he was tired and still checked every bedroom.

Those memories didn’t cancel what he was doing now.