Our husbands worked together at a municipal equipment company.

We attended school functions, shared recipes, and occasionally argued over which of us made better cornbread.

After Arthur died, Evelyn was one of the few people who understood that I sometimes wanted company without wanting consolation.

She didn’t tell me to stay busy.

Didn’t explain grief.

She sat at my kitchen table and allowed the room to be quiet.

Now she looked at the itinerary.

Then the chore list.