“I think I’ll go up to my room and take a nap,” Justin said.

“Sounds like a good idea.” I smiled at him. “And I’ll bet you can talk Diesel into coming with you.”

“Come on, boy,” Justin said, waggling his fingers at the cat. “Let’s go upstairs.”

I sat down at the table, forgetting about work for the moment, as boy and cat left the kitchen. I heard Justin clumping up the stairs, and I realized what a reassuring sound that was.

In the years since my wife died, I had done my best to isolate myself from all but the necessary daily contacts with other people. With my son and daughter off living their own lives, I had only Diesel for any kind of emotional companionship.

That had been enough for a while. But the shock of the events of the past week had broken through that shell I had almost unknowingly put up around me.

For a moment I fancied I could see both Jackie and Aunt Dottie sitting at the table with me. “It’s time,” Jackie would say, and Aunt Dottie would nod in agreement.

I smiled as the images I conjured up faded away, leaving only the glow of happy memories.

Yes, it was time.

I gathered my things and headed for work.