“Thank you for taking care of him.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Evelyn freed one hand and ran her frail fingers through his cropped hair, over and over.

“Leo took care of me.

He’s been the anchor of this whole house.” Her eyes lifted to me over the top of Ethan’s bowed head, shining.

“But a young man needs his brother.

Everyone needs their brother.”

I stood in the doorway of that living room, holding my rolled-up diploma against my chest, and I watched the two of them, and I felt something happen to the house itself.

I know how that sounds.