“She used to ask us to keep the vegetables on the bottom shelves so older visitors could reach them.

That was the kind of detail your mother thought about.”

Louise agreed to write a letter confirming their longstanding arrangement.

She also offered to attend the hearing, if the county scheduled one.

I thanked her and hung up with my eyes burning.

Across the table, Dad was examining an old packet of bean seeds.

“Did Mom really worry about which shelf the vegetables went on?” I asked.

Dad looked surprised.