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"It’s a luncheon," Edith said

"Okay," Sorrow said gently She glanced over her e spread of food scattered across the counter "But if people are coet this place cleaned up and put the food on the table"

"I loved Emerald," her mom said "I want it to be perfect"

"I loved her, too We all did And it will be perfect--just perfect enough" She let go of Moan to put the silverware back in its felted tray "People won’t notice if you’re using the good silver or not"

"Amen," Lauraher attention back to her ed twenty years in the night "Have you eaten? You sit down" Sorrow steered her into the kitchen, hating the feeble, fragile feel of Mom’s slack shoulders in her hands "Take a minute to have a cup of coffee and ood" She sat her at the table and put a pad of paper and a pen before her "Just tell us what you need, and we’ll help"

Sorroent back into the dining rooaze

Billy reappeared "Your dad is set up in his recliner Lucky thing it’s March Madness Not only is he occupied, I’et hi his hand on her lower back She looked up at hi and steadfast without being overtly affectionate At thein his eyes--Billy was rief than any of them

They heard the scrape of the kitchen chair, followed by the clicking of the gas burner

"Mo out," Laura said, and the uncharacteristic anxiety in her voice est one

"It helps her feel in control," Billy said "Pouring herself into busy work is probably what’s helping her keep it together"

Sorrow’s eyes shot to his The ht not have been a shock, but it was a blow Even though she’d just passed the night before, everyone in the town--especially Moether, keep busy, and ht," she said "Mo together a big spread is theshe could do, for all of us"

"She’s been different since Dad’s stroke," Laura said, her voice subdued "I think she’s clinging to lifefrom Laura, it was a shock, too Dad’s stroke had been a ree on a dime, and neither of her parents had been the same since

"Yeah," Sorrow conceded "I think that’s exactly right" But then she sighed, checking the clock on the wall "But all this talk isn’t putting lunch on the table"

Laura led the Now that we don’t need to polish the silver, we can start putting it all out"

Sorrow had braced herself to be the one to handle everything--especially the food--but when she saw the spread Laura had pulled together, she was shocked "Wow," she said grudgingly "Thanks This looks great How did you hters "She did a nice job, didn’t she, Sorrow?"

She looked at her sister, seeing her in a new light She’d spent soevery minute she’d had to pick up the ht of who her sister was, really--a bright, beautiful, capable wo shyly pleased "Luckily, I went shopping yesterday, and there was enough stuff like veggies, dips, and deli meats to assemble some buffet plates Plus, I found so--ht we could ave her a sad s on a Costco wake"

Thirty-two

It’d been a week since herabout the picture that’d graced the easel at the front of the chapel--a black and white studio portrait of Ma, taken when she was er Her dress hite with polka dots, and her lipstick was a dark and perfectly applied bow It captured the youngerrosé and kne to tell a cheeky joke The woman who’d run away for love and returned home for the same reason

"Marlene," aover her table, war?"

She considered the question, knowing he was the sort ofokay" And actually, she was She’d co coood to be out, to be in the tavern a her friends, even if it didIt’d been a tear-soaked week, but she was grateful to feel all cried out for the moment "Would you like to join us?" She’d been the first one to sit down, and gestured to the empty spot next to her

"On duty, I’m afraid"