He sat with his wife’s photo, waiting for a son who had already boarded without him

going somewhere warm. Elephants, remember?”

He looked at me then, and spoke softly. “You’ll make a fine teacher one day, Rose.”

I didn’t correct him. He always called me Rose when he was scared. At the airport, the lines were long, the atmosphere buzzing with noise and harsh fluorescent light that made everyone look pale.

Mom pulled me aside. “Elena, continue reading …