My husband became an organ donor as his final wish — after he d*ed, his doctor stopped me and said, “There’s something he made me promise to give you only after he was gone.”

“What have you told him?”

“That his dad was sick.

That he loved Daniel even though he never got to meet him.

That sometimes people leave before they mean to.” She paused.

“I don’t know if that’s right.

I’m making it up as I go.”

“I think that’s what everyone does.”

She smiled at that — a real smile, tired around the edges.

From the living room: “Mama, the rocket fell.”

“Build it again, baby.”

A pause.

“Okay.”

We looked at each other across the table.

“I don’t know what this looks like going forward,” I said.

“I have a daughter coming in three weeks.

My life is — I’m rebuilding everything.

But I don’t want to make a promise and disappear.

Mark asked me not to let Daniel be alone, and I think the least I can do is try to figure out what that means.”