It was raining. Just like that night.
We pulled over on the shoulder. Carefully. With the hazard lights on. Danny made sure. He made us all wait until there was no traffic before we got out.
We stood by the guardrail. Under the little blue sign. In the rain.
Nobody said anything for a long time.
The trucks went by on the highway. Big ones. Rattling the guardrail. Spraying water.
Ellie held my hand. She held Danny’s hand too. She stood between us.
Then she started singing.
Quietly at first. Just to herself. Then louder.
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…”
Danny’s voice came in. Rough and cracking. He knew all the words.
“You make me happy when skies are gray…”
Vanessa sang too. Then me. Standing on the side of Interstate 70 in the rain. Four people who would never have met. Singing a lullaby to two people who weren’t there.
