My parents skipped the funeral of my husband and two children because it was my sister’s birthday.

trees.

For the first time in a year, I didn’t feel alone.

My phone vibrated once.

Mother had sent a message.

Please. We have nothing left.

I looked at Daniel’s name engraved in stone, followed by Eli’s and Rose’s.

I deleted her message.

“Neither did I,” I whispered.

Then I returned to my car, calm, steady, and free.

Fix the family-name inconsistencyClarify the headline timeline