Chapter 26: Chapter 26

“You want me to drive, Ken?” Zach asked Dad. I had to admit I appreciated that my family seemed to like Zach.

“Thank you, Zach.” Dad clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll give you the directions.”

We all piled into Dad’s sedan, and Zach pulled away from the curb on our way to the funeral of the best friend of my childhood, my sister’s husband, and the father of the girls. It was going to be a long and painful day.

* * * *

“I’ll drive you to the airport,” Raine said the next morning as we stood in the kitchen. Her hands were perched awkwardly at her hips. It was early. Not quite seven in the morning. She’d insisted on rising with us, even though we’d said our good-byes to most everyone else the night before.

“No need. We have the rental car and have to drop it off anyway,” I reminded her.

She bit her lip and nodded. “Are you sure you can’t extend your trip?”

“The firm’s expecting us back on Monday.”