Our family was flying on a Make-A-Wish trip for my sick son — halfway through the flight, the pilot said, “Mike, there’s one thing about this trip that you and your parents know nothing about.”

and waved.

Mike waved back with his entire arm.

“He saw me, Dad!”

“He did, sweetheart.”

The engines rose.

Mike gripped both armrests, laughing as the ground dropped beneath us.

Beside me, Stella reached across the narrow space and closed her hand around mine.

Neither of us spoke.

We had learned that certain moments broke if we named them.

Eight months earlier,continue reading …