Before my husband died, he asked to donate his organs. But hours after his death, his doctor ran after me, stopped me, and said, “Jake trusted me with something secret three weeks ago… but he didn’t want you to see it while he was still alive.”

“That’s generous of him.”

“Absolutely not,” I’d told Mark.

“You rejected it too fast.”

“You suggested Clementine.”

We were sitting on our porch, his hand resting on my six-month belly.

“It’s a strong name.”

“You rejected it too fast.”

“For an orange.”

Mark laughed.

Even then, the sound caught slightly in his chest.

“Fine. Cecelia.”

I looked at him.

Even then, the sound caught slightly in his chest.

“Cecelia?”

“My grandmother used to sing that song with the name in it.”

“You said she sang everything badly.”

“Still counts.”

“That’s not a reason to name a human being.”

“It made you smile.”

“You said she sang everything badly.”

“Cecelia,” I said quietly.

The baby kicked beneath his hand.

Mark’s eyebrows lifted.

“See? She voted.”

“She kicked you.”

“Strong approval.”

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