He put his picture down and nodded. “What is it?”

I took what I’d been working on out of the bin. It was another picture, this one of an origami crane, but instead of being made of folded papers, it was created out of dozens of small quilling shapes put together. Before I could say it, Oren said, “For Sam.”

My throat got so tight, all I could do was nod.

“It’s really nice, Evie.”

I took a breath. “I made as much as I could out of the origami paper he gave me. I was saving it for…I don’t know what, but this feels…”

“More meaningful,” Oren finished. “He would have liked that, I think. You should frame it.”

I nodded, so thankful that Oren got it. We got each other. That’s what being friends means. And now that I’d accepted we were friends, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

I was about to thank him with a hug but suddenly the side door opened. Oren and I looked at each other. “Who’s there?” I called out.

There was some stomping on the stairs and then Dad came around the corner. He was wearing a suit, but the tie was loose and messy. He looked exhausted.

“Dad?” I said. “I thought you were still in bed!”

He gave me a weak smile. “No, we got a call late last night.”

Oh.

“Where’s your mother?” he asked.

“Right here,” Mom said, coming into the room. She was wearing capri pants and a pretty white-and-red checked shirt—normal everyday clothes. “I’m taking Nate to the orthodontist.”

Dad’s face fell in disappointment. “Syd’s next door now, but he can’t stay. I was hoping you could do a shift while I get some sleep.”

“Sorry.” Mom shook her head. “It took months to get this appointment.”

“All right,” Dad said. “I’ll just grab a quick shower. Funeral’s tomorrow morning at eleven. Graveside.”

Mom nodded. “I’ll send an email to the ladies to tell them tahara will be tonight at eight.”

Dad turned to me and opened his mouth.

“Got it,” I said. “Dusting, vacuuming—I know the drill.” I turned to Oren. “Want to help?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

“You’re good kids,” Dad said. “Remind me after I get some sleep to take you out for ice cream.”

And then he shuffled off to take his shower.

Mom hollered at Nate to hurry while I packed up the quilling stuff so the cat wouldn’t get at it.

Then Oren and I went next door.

“So,” he said as we crossed the parking lot, “there’s someone in there?” I knew he wasn’t talking about Syd.

I nodded. “A woman, since Mom and her volunteers are doing the tahara later.”

When he was really quiet, I could almost read his mind. I stopped walking. “Are you sure you want to see?” I’d so hoped that showing him everything else would squash his curiosity. Apparently not.

He shrugged. “Maybe?”

I started walking again. “If you see, you can’t unsee, you know,” I warned.