Then said.
“It’ll only be temporary.”
I smiled.
“Yes.”
“It will.”
He did not notice the way I said it.
The next morning, I woke at 4:45.
Old habits.
By five, I was downstairs.
I cleaned the kitchen.
Then the living room.
Then the hallway.
Then two bathrooms.
Then vacuumed the stairs.
Vanessa came down at seven.
She looked around.
“Did you mop?”
“Yes.”
“The breakfast room too?”
“Yes.”
She checked.
Actually checked.
Then she nodded.
“Not bad.”
Not bad.
I almost laughed.
Ethan came downstairs ten minutes later.
He grabbed coffee.
Then kissed Vanessa.
He looked at me holding a cleaning cloth.
“Morning, Dad.”
“Morning.”
He did not look embarrassed.
That surprised me.
Noah came running in.
Nine years old.
Hair sticking up.
Soccer jersey beneath his school sweater.
“Grandpa.”
He hugged me around the waist.
Emma followed.
Seven.
Barefoot.
Holding one shoe.
“Grandpa, can you tie this?”
“You know how.”
