I almost ran into Shenka on my way back inside as she emerged from Gram's room, Demetrius behind her.

The sad looks on their faces told me my grandmother wasn't taking Quaid's departure any better than his arrival.

"She'll be fine," Shenka said.

"No," Demetrius's lucid moment had gone, his small body doing a spinning jig, reminding me of Gram at her worst. "She's not. Not, snot, lotta good you'll do in there." He danced away, humming to himself, listing off ...