“Don’t bring my daughter into this.”
She left without another word.
I told myself she was grieving.
I told myself to be patient.
At Mark’s memorial, patience became harder.
One of his uncles hugged me near the flowers.
“Mark was helping people right until the end.”
His aunt nodded.
“You must be proud of him.”
“Proud?”
Violet’s voice cut through the room.
I turned.
“Violet.”
“She doesn’t get to be proud of this.”
The nearby conversations stopped.
Violet looked directly at me.
“My son could barely walk across a room in those last weeks. And now everyone expects me to believe he calmly made all these decisions?”
“He did make them.”
“You agreed to it.”
“Yes,” I said. “I carried out my husband’s final wish.”
Her eyes filled.
“At least you’re finally being honest.”
My pulse pounded.
I could have defended myself.
