It represented years of saving, repairs he’d postponed on his own house, and vacations he never took.

“Don’t treat the company like a lottery ticket,” he’d said.

“Treat it like a promise to the people who depend on you.”

At twenty-six, I thought he meant that we should work hard and pay our bills.

At fifty-four, I understood he meant much more.

I placed the flowers near the stone.

“Dad, I should’ve checked sooner,” I whispered.

The wind moved through the trees.