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

remained at home, though her role was not to nurture; it was to curate. She hosted fundraisers, baked immaculately decorated cookies for school galas, and constantly reminded us that presentation was everything. I was their firstborn, the responsible one, the project.

I was the straight-A student with perfectly combed hair and piano competition ribbons continue reading …