4 pounds in 5 days. She’d only just started with her trainer! She would reach her goal this time. And he would eat his heart out.

“You gotta be tough to farm,” he always said, but she was sure she saw tears in his eyes as he carried the stillborn alpaca away.

The cigarette burn scars on his arm screamed “I hate you, Dad!” The tears on his cheeks as he touched the casket offered a rebuttal.

My daughter burrowed under the covers to retrieve her yellow koala, all sleepy magnanimity. “Banana said you get to hold him first today.”

She visited his hidden grave every year at this time to lay flowers. Always cautious that no one followed, as officially he’s only missing.