The Hardest Part

by Lori Hahnel

On an October afternoon—air clear as a bell, yellow leaves twirling down—I sipped coffee on my deck, soaked in the sun’s weak autumn rays. And got the news via Facebook.

Your sister Alma and I haven’t seen each other in almost forty years, though we “like” and “share” each other’s posts. “We are heartbroken to say,” she wrote, “that our dear brother Rob passed on Tuesday.”

Jesus. What? I took a breath before I read more, pulse pounding in my ears.

“A celebration of Rob’s life will be held at St. Gertrude’s Church on October 19 at 7pm.”

I stood up, […]