silence became a tradition, passed down to people who barely understood its origins.
Claire broke that tradition by asking questions.
I broke it by listening to the answers.
And my father began breaking it by telling the stories he had spent a lifetime avoiding.
Sometimes, when people ask about our wedding, I tell them the truth.
My wife walked down the aisle wearing an oversized old man’s suit.
The guests whispered. My father turned pale. I nearly forgot how to breathe.
Then she showed me the label inside the sleeve
