September brought the familiar crispness back to Evergreen Hollow, the kind that turned the leaves into a slow-burning fire and made the rink lights feel like home again. Lily’s sophomore year at Denver was underway, and the house had adjusted to its new normal: one less voice at the dinner table, but plenty of video calls and weekend visits to fill the gaps.

Everett, now nine and growing like a weed, had started fourth grade and joined the travel hockey team. His practices filled the ...