He lowered his hand and said, “Katie Lawson,” and she answered, “Yes,” barely breathing. He said, “I am General Kingston, and I knew your father,” and the world seemed to tilt.
He knelt and told her about the dragon drawing with rain boots that Mark had carried everywhere, and Katie asked, “The green one,” and he said, “The very one,” with solemn warmth. He told her Mark said someone should step in if he ever missed something important, and I covered my mouth because that sounded exactly like him.
Then the general said, “You are not out of place anywhere,” and Katie asked, “Did he miss me,” and he answered, “Every day, and he was proud of you every day,” and tears filled her eyes instantly.
He turned to Tiffany and said calmly, “You told his daughter she did not belong,” and her voice faltered as she tried to explain. He said, “Community is measured by what we do when grief stands quietly in the corner,” and no one spoke because truth had filled the space.