“Yes, I know it’s poisonous, but our children are out of the house, so lighten up.” I feed myself warm bread that feels like a warm hug from Birgitta, Graham’s helper, my godsend. “Make room for me, would you?” I climb onto the chaise where Graham rests after he’s exhausted himself practicing words. My husband, the genius who commanded a courtroom like no other—renowned as one of the most elegant and eloquent litigators in the whole state—is still struggling to master fricatives. How about that? He tries to wrap his fingers around my hand, but his grip is weak and uneven, so I squeeze back to distract us both from his loss of strength.

“We saw Robert Hart on his salty old boat. He’d taken out one of his son’s friends, the most adorable boy. I’d say he’s about twenty, twenty-one? He’s just a doll, but good Lord if he didn’t remind me of our Julian. He has that liquid quality to him. Do you know what I mean?”

Graham makes a sound. Birds chatter above us.

I look up and say, “They won’t stop crapping on the patio furniture, but I can’t bring myself to bother their nests. Russell thinks they’re robins, but Birgitta swears she saw blue jays. Did you?”

He shakes his head.

“Me neither. I do miss the orioles.” I can’t remember when I stopped leaving quartered oranges in the window boxes—if it was before or after the orioles went away. “Russell says the rhododendron need to be cut all the way back to the quick. I hate to do it, but he’s probably right.”

Graham stares at our leggy shrubs, but he’s not thinking about landscaping. He’s thinking about his loss of authority. He has so much time now to think about everything he’s lost. So do I, of course, but at least I get to run around hunting for hobbies and managing our lives. Graham just sits here ruminating on how he chose to live when he had choices. Not that he ever chose to prune the hedges, even then.

I measure my next words carefully. “J.R. Voss was out on the water, too.”

Graham doesn’t grunt or moan this time. Good. He’s listening.

“Missy was with him,” I say. “The kids, too. Monique went on and on about how brave Missy has been and how much stronger the Vosses are now. She said it’s a blessing they’re getting on with their lives.” I listen for Graham’s heartbeat to hear if it’s quickened, but the birds are too damn loud. “Do you know what Frank said? He said, ‘All thanks to Graham.’ Isn’t that something? J.R.’s legacy is part of your legacy now, darling.” I let that sink into Graham’s damaged head before asking, “Aren’t you proud of yourself?”