She felt lost and panicky.

Maybe this relationship wasn’t serious. She wanted to whip out her phone and type “grief and rebound relationships” into the search engine. Even though he hid it well, she knew he was hurting and vulnerable. She wasn’t going to let some opportunistic woman take advantage of that. The last thing little Molly needed was a parade of strange women marching through the house.

Her father put his arm round her but she ducked away, even though she needed a hug more than anything.

He looked stunned. “What’s wrong? You’re not normally like this.”

“Sorry. Long day.” Clamping her jaws together, Izzy shook another towel out and folded it.

“Do you really think I’ve forgotten her?”

“I don’t know. Seems that way, that’s all.”

It freaked her out that he could be so calm. She tried to be the same, but he set a high bar. Did he cry? Did he ever howl in the shower like she did? Her tears poured down the drain along with the water. She wanted to know she was normal, that she wasn’t the only one who felt this bad, even though deep down she knew it would scare her to see his tears.

It was a totally crap situation, but if he could be brave and stoic then so could she.

If he could hold it together then so could she. She’d managed well, hadn’t she? Until today.

She folded another towel, and then another, until she had a neat pile. It amazed her how soothing it felt to have completed that one small task.

Mrs. Cameron came in every morning to clean the house and do the laundry, but it was Izzy who removed it from the dryer and folded it all. She didn’t mind. It was a bit like meditation.

“I made homemade veggie burgers for supper.”

“Again? Didn’t we have them two nights ago?”

“They’re Molly’s favorite.” But maybe she should have been making her dad’s favorite, not her sister’s. Pressure, pressure, pressure.

“You made a good decision, Izz. You’re my superstar. Your mom would have been so proud.” He picked up the stack of towels she’d folded. “Molly didn’t eat the lunch I made her this morning.”

“Did you give her ham? She hates ham.”

“She does?” He looked surprised. “I’ll try to remember that. What would I do without you? You’re a good cook, and you’re so great with Molly.”