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"They got off fine," Elinor answered, eyeing the cup of coffee suspiciously. "Beth says she'll call when she gets home."

She picked up the cup and sniffed. "This isn't that chicory blend I brought you, is it?" Of course she knew it wasn't by the smell alone and her brother at least had the decency to look a bit sheepish when he shook his head no.

"Dammit, Rigby. I quit smoking a year ago, don't make me give up my caffeine, too."

The other thing he'd had to give up, though not by choice -- Joyce -- hung unspoken between them like a wrecking ball aimed at their hearts. Elinor hadn't meant to hurt James, she was just concerned for his health. A pang of guilt wrenched at her and she stood, walking around the table toward him.

"You know I just worry about you, James. That's all," she said in her bossy voice, pulling her little brother close.

Maybe it was the letdown of activity. Maybe it was just touching someone who loved him almost as much as his wife had. More than likely it was a combination of both and many other things all rolled into one, but James was suddenly overwhelmed by the enormity of his loss as he grabbed his sister in a bone-crushing bear hug, burying his face against her.

His body was wracked by great heaving sobs, but it was his plaintive wail that nearly broke her heart. She felt so helpless and all she could do was hold him gently, smoothing her hands over his hair. Over and over as she rocked him.

"It's okay, love," she crooned softly. "Let it all out. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay."

Elinor didn't know how, but that seemed to be what everyone always said. Only time would ease the pain of her brother's loss. In the face of it all, Elinor felt that anything she said would only sound trivial and maybe even contrived, so she did the only thing she knew to do and that was to hold him and love him.