ved – more aunts, uncles, cousins. The table was laden with

ad," Dad said, gla

t running late," A

it anymore. I

y voice louder than I inten

versation

," Mom said gently. "We're just

Everyone who remembers Leo, tell me one specific thing

he always tells the story about how he accidentally dyed his hair green in college

college roommate. Leo's the quiet one, always has his nose in a book. He's a history

uter whiz. Works for a startup in Seattle. He helped me fix my laptop l

errible singing voice. Another recalled him as an aspiring chef who once set a kitchen on fire. His s

was a vague sense of

y, musical, clumsy contractor, park ranger, software developer, history professor, a

ent quiet.

dawning confusion in their eyes. It was the first time

dvantage, "can remember his parents' nam

few people shift

around," Dad mumbled, but h

tcome. "Someone must have his number, if he called L

ain. A flurry of s

d have

in my co

changed hi

o's arrival had curdled into a palpable unease. The elephant in the room was

. And any proof he'd ever existed outs