I loaded his wheelchair into the car.
For most of the drive home, Caleb was quiet.
Then he said,
“I’m going to tell people about today.”
“What part?”
“All of it.”
“The seats?”
“Yes.”
“Dorothy?”
“Yes.”
“The lunchbox?”
“Yes.”
Then he smiled.
“And the grass.”
“The grass?”
“Especially the grass.”
He looked out the window.
“I thought I knew what a football field smelled like.”
“But?”
“I didn’t.”
He paused.
“You have to actually be there.”
“Yes.”
“That man almost took that from me.”
“Yes.”
“But he didn’t.”
“No.”
“Because of Dorothy.”
“Yes.”
“And Harold.”
“And Harold.”
“And you.”
I looked at him in the mirror.
“Me?”
“You bought the tickets.”
“With the bracelet money.”
“With the bracelet money.”
He smiled.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“We’re coming back next season.”
“We’ll figure out the money.”
“We always do.”
I smiled.
