“I’m starting to appreciate the task your brother faced. This, my friend—” she grabbed the front of his life jacket and tugged him against her “—is going to be the adventure of your life. Don’t panic. Our guide is skilled in river rescue and swift water rescue. This is going to do you good. You’re going to love it.”

“You sound exactly like Red.”

She didn’t know what to say, so she sneaked her hand into his and felt his fingers tighten around hers.

“It’s been two years and I still hear his voice all the time,” Josh said. “I hear him telling me to get outdoors, to stop reading facts, to eat my pizza crusts and stop leaving broccoli at the side of my plate.”

“You leave broccoli at the side of your plate? You don’t eat your veggies? Shocking. I’m with Red on that one.”

“It seems you’re pretty much with Red on everything.” But judging from his tone of voice, he didn’t mind about that. She wondered whether he even quite liked it.

“I still hear my grandmother too, although only when I’m on my own, weirdly enough.” And she realized that the voice of the only person whose life advice she should have taken was drowned out when she was with other people. Her mother. Her sister. Steven. She’d been listening to the wrong voices.

“What would your grandmother have thought of this?”

“The trip, or you?” She saw his eyes crease as he smiled. “She would have said a big yes to both.” She gasped as the water drenched her, leaving her soaked and laughing. “That’s cold!”

She clung to Josh and he muttered something she couldn’t make out but assumed it wasn’t complimentary, but even he cracked a smile as their guide expertly navigated the rapids.

Later they ate lunch on the banks of the river, devouring delicious sandwiches and homemade cookies.

Martha slipped one into her pocket for Kathleen.

Her hair had dried curly, her face was burning under the hot Arizona sun and she’d never felt happier.

By the time they finally returned to the hotel the sun was setting.

Kathleen left a message that she’d ordered room service and was having an early night, so they ordered pizza and Josh left the crust while Martha ate hers.

Then they found a place where they had a view of the Grand Canyon and watched the sun go down.

“This is the kind of view that makes you think about life. About how small you are, compared to the world. And how all those little things that seem so huge, aren’t really huge at all.” Martha stood close to him and he slipped his arm round her shoulders.

“Thank you for today. And that’s not sarcasm.” His voice was soft. “Seriously, thank you. I’m pleased we did it. He would have been pleased.”