I drove home on January 5th, nine days after I had left. Daniel was at the door when I pulled in, and he took Nora out of the car and held her up in the air and said, "I missed you," and then he hugged me, and I could tell he had been worried, and also that he had been proud.
"How was it?" he asked.
"It was good."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm okay."
He carried Nora inside and I followed, and the house smelled like him, like coffee and something he had cooked and burned, and I realized that I had missed it.
"How were things here?"
"Quiet. After the first day."
"Did anyone else call?"
"Your cousin Marcus called a few times. And your aunt Pauline called once. I told her you'd call when you were ready."
"Good."
"So are you? Ready?"
I poured myself a glass of water and sat down at the kitch
