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"I’d like to go to church today" The corner of her mouth inches upward "Rachel and Robbie used to take the kids to church every week, but I haven’tthem all dressed and out the door is such a production" She pauses, probably picturing the kids and all their delightful difficulty in her o today Do you want to coion Besides funerals, the occasional wedding, or services on the base with my mother when I was a kid, I don’t do church But I hear o with you"

We leave Cousin It at Chelsea’s house, where Chelsea changes into a deh heels I follow the crowd at Mass, the kneeling and standing, but mostly I just watch her The way her lips touch her hands when her head is bowed in prayer, the serene expression on her face as the priest gives his final blessing

We stand outsidelot of the church "I don’t knohat to do with hs huh tilances ht?"

She’s noticed I disappear every Sunday--but she’s never askedfor me to tell her about it myself

"Yeah, I do"

She nods and just as she starts to look resigned to a lonely afternoon, I say, "You want to come with me?"

Her head whips back to me "Onlyonly if you want me to"

"There’s someone I want you to meet"

• • •

I hold Chelsea’s hand as alk down the halls of the Brookside Retireet to his door

"Hey, Jake" She greetstoday?"

"Oh, honey, he’s having a really good day"

I blow out a relieved fucking breath The last thing I wanted was to e on a bad day is not a happy sight

I nod past her and walk into the roo in his leather chair by the , dressed in a dark blue sweater and tan slacks, those ugly brown loafers on his feet

"Hey, old ht, his eyes confident and wonderfully aware "Jake!" He closes his book and rises, wrapping ood to see you, son How are you?"

"I’e"