Standing outside a red brick funeral parlor an older man rubs the back of a twenty-something young woman. She sniffles and struggles to keep her composure but in the end her face crumples and she buries her face in the man's chest, her shoulders heaving. There are tears in the man's eyes as well.

"You'll be all right, Katy," he tells her, stroking her hair.

A bit of time passes and she leaves the shelter of his embrace but keeps one hand tightly holding his. "I can't believe it."

"Me neither but you just remember what a wonderful woman she was and how much she loved you." He sighs. "I love you too."

"I love you. John, I'm so glad Mom found you."

"Me too. I can't believe how fast time moves sometimes. You were just going into high school and I was taking your mom to the movies and listening to her rave about you, and now you're out of college and you mama's-" he can't finish his sentence and this time it is she who is the comforter.

"We'll be okay. Mom knew we'd be okay."

He nods.

*

Four years later, John Carpenter takes hold of Katy Harrison's arm at the entry to the church and smiles as he walks her down the aisle. Her groom accepts her hand at the alter and in a stern whisper John tells him to take good care of his little girl. He nods, and John sits down and watches Katy say her vows.

Later, at the reception, Katy approaches John and hugs him. "I wish Mom could have been here."

"She was."

*

Time and work conspire together and move Katy and Alex Younger out of the area, and the visits between Katy and her as-good-as-stepfather become fewer and farther between. Ten years after Katy's mother passed away, Katy calls the number that she has for John and gets the recording telling her the number has been disconnected.

"What?" Alex asks when he sees her face.

"The number isn't any good. He always called me and gave me the new number before."

"Maybe he forgot."

"No. He never forgets."

A few days later the phone rings and through the static Katy hears John's voice. "How are you, baby?"

"Fine but where are you? I tried to call you and the number wouldn't work."

"Oh, I don't live there anymore."

"Why? Where do you live now?"

John was quiet for a moment. "Here and there."

Katy's eyebrows came together. "Here and there?"

"Yeah. a lot going on." John's voice was hollow-sounding. There was something he wasn't telling her.

"Do you need any help?"

"No, I'm handling it. I just called to say Merry Christmas and I love you. Give them babies of yours

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