Betty’s question completely caught me off guard. It wasn’t something I had allowed myself to think about—hadn’t even dared to consider.

I mean, I saw him collapse with my own eyes. I heard the doctor say the surgery was a failure. And yeah, I even held his ashes in my hands. That’s as final as it gets. Sure, I’ve had dreams where he came back to me, but those were nothing more than desperate, fleeting illusions. Life isn’t some sappy, feel-good movie. Ashton is ...