“He liked things how he liked them,” she repeated. Then she added, “He was faithful, though. Never left us for some other woman.” That wasn’t exactly how it happened, but I let her assume. I liked the way she was aligning our histories, matching up her life with my own mother’s. “Never would have either. He liked having me about. He had a good job working construction. Good benefits, so I got to stay home with our daughter for a couple years, though it made things tight. He didn’t even want to be away from us while he was working. I’d make him a lunch every day and take it to his job sites. He liked me to sit with him while he ate. He’d play with the baby, tell me about his work. But then he died on me.”

Marshall scribbled more words onto his notepad, his eyebrows raised. I think they were both surprised at how easily we were talking. Gabrielle had her hand over her mouth again, a gesture I was coming to recognize as characteristic. She covered her mouth when she had a strong feeling, as if otherwise it might get out.

I asked, “Did Robert keep you up? You sound tired.” I wanted to say my son’s name. Make him a person for her. Keep him a person. Keep him alive.

“Naw. He slept through pretty good. Needed a bottle at around four.”

I felt my breath catch, and silent tears spilled down my face. He always wanted a bottle then. The fact that she had his early-morning feeding time right made me believe he’d been there to eat it. And then I heard him. Very close. A burbling baby noise, unmistakably my son.

“Robert!” My legs gave out, and I found myself rocking back onto my hips.

“He’s here in the sling, tied to me,” she said. “Like I told you.”

I managed to lean toward the phone again. “But that’s not what you planned.” I said it flat. Resigned. Not an accusation or a challenge. Just the truth.

“Naw,” she agreed. “That wasn’t the plan.”

I made myself be still. I made myself not scream. Marshall had said to keep her talking, and I clung to this idea. “What was supposed to happen?”

“I meant to drown him.” It was so calm. The way I might say, I meant to go to Publix or I meant to call Mom, on a day when time had gotten away from me. “I was going to do it as soon as I knew that Spencer Shaw was dead. I was going to dope him so he’d sleep through it, though. He wouldn’t have ever known.”