That was the whole of the tradition, and the whole of why Clara kept it: not to mourn, but to keep.

Lily chose the vase every year because a child understands, better than any adult, that the way you honor someone you love is to give them something beautiful, and to say, out loud, that they would have loved it too.

A gentle knock came at the door.

Clara opened it to find Lupita standing in the hall, wearing a crisp, beautifully tailored navy blazer over a white blouse, her new manager’s uniform, holding a silver tray of warm pancakes, fresh berries, and two small glasses of orange juice.

“Good morning, Mrs.