Other times they sat quietly.
One evening, Marcus asked her whether grief ever became easier.
She considered the question.
Then answered carefully.
“I don't think love disappears.”
Marcus looked toward her.
She continued.
“But perhaps we learn how to carry the absence differently.”
He nodded.
For several seconds, he stared toward the kitchen.
Then he whispered, “The house is so quiet.”
She looked down.
“I know.”
He rubbed his hands together.
“I keep expecting her to come around the corner.”
The woman waited.
Marcus continued.
“Sometimes I hear something in the hallway and turn my head before I remember.”
His voice broke.
The future chief reached across the table and took his hand.
She didn't tell him to be strong.
She didn't remind him that his daughter needed him.
He already knew.
She simply stayed until he was ready to speak again.
That friendship continued as Marcus gradually rebuilt his life.
His daughter grew attached to the woman.
She called her Auntie, even though they weren't related.
The nickname made everyone smile.
When the girl turned six, Auntie helped decorate the backyard.
When she learned to ride a bicycle, Auntie cheered from the sidewalk.
And when Marcus's daughter began asking questions about what her mother had been like, the woman told stories about her friend's laughter, stubbornness, and love of teaching.
The girl treasured those stories.
For her seventh birthday, she insisted that Auntie attend.
Marcus called two weeks before the party.
“Apparently your presence is mandatory.”
The woman laughed.
“Mandatory?”
“Her exact words.”
“Sounds like a future supervisor.”
Marcus smiled.
“She definitely has opinions.”
The woman laughed again.
Then promised to attend.
By then, she had recently accepted the position of police chief in Cedar Haven.
The appointment was a major professional milestone.
The town had experienced tensions over policing practices, budgeting, and community confidence.
Officials wanted an experienced leader capable of modernizing oversight and rebuilding trust.
She was formally sworn in only days before the birthday.
Her initial schedule was packed with briefings and meetings.
Many patrol officers had not yet met her personally.
Some worked rotating shifts.
Others were on leave.