Gramma Ester flies from Wisconsin to California to help with a big family wedding in 1976. Flowers, frozen turkey, chocolate groom's cake. Guests fill the church with summer: pastels and hats, ties and shiny shoes. The congregation murmuring, waits. And waits. If the music would just start to play, if the bride would just walk up the aisle on Daddy's arm, everything else would be vanquished into fairy tale. 

Finally, our mother: we can feel her slow step as she lifts each foot with all her available life force.

How could we be losing her like this?