Daniel took longer.
He worked.
Went to therapy.
Found a small apartment.
Almost a year after the wedding, he came over for dinner.
Just the two of us.
He looked toward the empty chair where Mark used to sit.
“Do you ever miss him?”
“Yes.”
That surprised him.
“Really?”
“Missing someone doesn’t mean you made the wrong decision.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
Then:
“Sometimes I miss Jenna too.”
“I know.”
“I feel stupid.”
“Don’t.”
He looked down.
“How do you not feel stupid after someone fools you?”
I thought about Dad.
Then said:
“Trusting someone isn’t the embarrassing part.”
Daniel looked at me.
“What they do with that trust belongs to them.”
He smiled faintly.
“Grandpa would’ve liked that.”
“He would’ve pretended he said it first.”
Daniel laughed.
A real laugh.
I went back to Dad’s grave once after everything settled.
I brought flowers.
Sat on the same bench where I had shown Daniel the video.
